


Shadowed Past

by RockNRollGospels214



Series: Shadowed Past [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluffy Romance, Fluffy relationship with captain america, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Marvel Cinematic Universe - Freeform, Mystery, Part one of a trilogy, Past Self Hatred, Post-Avengers (2012), Pre-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Referenced Suicide Attempt, Romance, SteveXOC, Suspense, past self harm, past self loathing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2018-04-01 11:16:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4017694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockNRollGospels214/pseuds/RockNRollGospels214
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex had a decently normal life. She made enough money to live off of, a pillow she could rest her head on at night, and, not-so-normal abilities that she feared to use. When the Avengers need her help to stop the next global threat, she isn't sure what to think. She's been lost for as long as she can remember. Steve is the one who helps her find the light. *PART 1/3*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Begin Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Just a couple of notes before reading:
> 
> 1\. This is the first installment of a trilogy, and I'm currently working on rewriting each chapter of "Shadowed Past" because honestly, I wrote them when I was pretty young and they're actually terrible. But, I promise the rewrite will be much more mature and more engaging to read! I'm currently almost done the third and final installment, but I'm working on fixing these chapters as a side project.
> 
> *NOTHING PLOT WISE IS GOING TO CHANGE! I'm keeping everything the same except for dialogue and the actual writing of the story. I took down all of the old chapters so nothing would be confusing for first time readers. I'll have each chapter up again asap!*
> 
> 2\. Alex and Piper are two original characters of mine that play a huge role in the story. Alex has abilities like Sue Storm, and/or Violet from The Incredibles. Either way you wanna look at it, they're like that.
> 
> 3\. This story will contain mentions of self-harm and depression later on. Just a warning.
> 
> 4\. Each installment follows the Marvel Cinematic Universe chronologically. So, "Shadowed Past" was written right after the first Avengers movie came out. Throwback.
> 
> 5\. Thanks for reading! Please enjoy the story and let me know what you think of the changes I'm making (if by any chance you read the original chapters).
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> (Also, I really didn't proof this as well as I should have. Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes)

Nobody ever said life was going to be easy. Then again, nobody exactly said it was going to be hard, either.

She was different.

She had always been different.

But ever since the Avengers had formed to save the world from an alien attack, different seemed to be the new normal. She watched from sidelines as these mutants, beasts even, got worshiped for their service all over the globe. Worshiped for what? She couldn't comprehend why civilians were idolizing these aliens, but they feared the ones that came down from the sky. It didn't make any sense.

 _Control it._ The voice in her head whispered. She clenched her fists as she gazed into the mirror, the violet light illuminating from her palms and peeking through the cracks between her fingers.

_Worthless. You're so jealous you can't even think straight._

_Stupid._

_Broken._

_How could anybody ever love you?_

_Monster._

_You'll never be normal._

_You'll never be like them._

A single tear found it's way down her cheek.

She lived like this, the girl with the violet eyes. She was controlled by her thoughts, the depression, the anxiety, the hurt, the guilt, the rage, all of it.

She was tired. She had been tired. For years, and years, but yet she still lived. And sometimes, she couldn't help but ask herself, _why_?

"Alex!" A pounding on the bathroom door caused her to jump. "Alex! Come on! We have to go!"

Alex swallowed the lump in her throat. "Just a minute, Piper!"

"No more minutes! If we don't leave right now we're both going to be late!"

Piper was her best friend, her sister practically. They shared a small, run-down apartment together in New York City. Piper was the only person who knew about her abilities. Alex grew up with Piper and her parents, because Alex lost her mother to a car accident when she was only a baby. Piper's parents were very close with Alex's mother, Lucy, and decided to adopt her since there was no family to take her in. Piper was the only person who had been there through it all.

Alex wiped her tears and adjusted her jacket before opening the door to the tiny bathroom before sliding out and into the conjoined bedroom. There was only one bed, so Alex and Piper rotated each night on who slept in the bed and who slept on the couch. It seemed most fair.

"Alex!" Piper called again.

"Relax! I'm coming!" Alex groaned before hurrying into the den. Piper was standing by the door with her arms crossed. Alex grabbed her purse off the back of the chair before following Piper out the door.

While they were waiting for the elevator to arrive to their floor, Alex decided to break the awkward silence that had fallen between them. "You know, I think you underestimate my ability to be self sufficient."

"I don't underestimate any of your abilities. I just worry about them sometimes."

The elevator dinged as the large silver doors slid open.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The duo stepped in and Piper pressed the button for the first floor.

"You know what I mean, Als. You're special. You know what's going on out there in the world. There are people like you! I just don't understand what's holding you back from marching down to that tower and turning yourself in. You'd be famous, a hero, you'd actually get to use your powers!"

"Piper, shush! These walls are thin!" Alex snapped through clenched teeth. "We've talked about this. I don't want to be famous. I don't want to be a hero. I just want to do the right thing. And from what I can tell, the right thing is to just live my life and pretend like my "powers" don't even exist!"

"How can you say that when you can literally turn invisible and make force fields with your hands?! Please, inform me! I'm dying to know!"

"Stop shouting! The whole building's going to hear you!"

"Okay, fine. I'm done. I don't want to start the day on a sour note."

"Thank you." Alex sighed, relieved that Piper had finally dropped the subject.

Just as the elevator began to slow as it reached the lobby, Piper leaned over and whispered. "Your purple eyes kinda give it away anyways-"

"Shut it!" Alex snapped, just as the doors slid open.

The two walked out onto the busy streets of New York, walking a few blocks together before splitting up and heading off to work. Piper and Alex both worked at restaurants, making minimum wage and a little extra with tips if it was a good day.

And with Alex's luck, it was never a good day.

* * *

Nick Fury had years worth of files sprawled out across the table. Alex's name was one that was all too familiar to him, and Maria Hill, who had been studying her activity for months now.

"I'm not trying to question your judgement, sir, but, why do you insist on finding this girl?" Maria spoke up.

"I've already found her. It's approaching her is what I'm working on."

"Let me rephrase. What makes you so confident that she'll agree to joining SHIELD?"

"She's young. She's special. I don't see why not."

"I can think of many reasons why not to, actually."

"Well then, Agent Hill, please, inform me." Fury retorted.

"She's got a normal life. She seems happy with this friend of hers. She hasn't done anything rash with these abilities, and that doesn't give us a reason to barge in and claim her ours."

"But it's only a matter of time before she could do something rash. I won't make the same mistake that I made with Lucy Cooper years ago."

"I wouldn't consider self defense rash, sir. Lucy was just trying to protect her daughter."

"Either way, I don't want the press getting to this girl before we do. One slip up and she'll be the next headline across the globe. Consider it doing her a favor."

Maria sighed in defeat, knowing there was no way out of this one. "Yes, sir."

* * *

What seemed like only moments later, Alex and Piper were walking back home from work.

"So how was your day?" Piper began.

"The usual. How about you?"

"The usual."

"Your usual is better than my usual." Alex sighed.

"We both hate out jobs, and trust me mine's not any better or worse than yours."

"I know, I just _really_ hate working at that diner. It's awful. I don't understand why anybody even eats there."

Piper suppressed a laugh. "Me too."

As they strolled into the lobby, Piper got an idea. "Y'know, we could just change jobs."

"Yes but you know how risky that is. Neither of us have any qualifications for anything better than minimum wage."

Piper pressed the button to call the elevator. "We've been working minimum wage since we got out of college, what, almost five years ago. There has to be some manager somewhere that sees at least one of us has potential beyond eight dollars an hour."

"I have two comments on your point," Alex began as they stepped into the elevator, "One, you transferred colleges two years in because you got kicked out of your first school, and two, I got a bachelor's degree in communications. Why? I still don't know. I literally use it for nothing."

"But at least you have a bachelor's! I didn't even get that far!" Piper retorted, laughing.

"Look, I feel like we're doing okay for a couple of bums drowning in college debt. I'm just saying." Alex replied. "With time, we will get better jobs and make more money and when we're old we'll be rich."

"But if we're old we can't enjoy the wealth as much. And who ever said we'd have to do all of the earning? We marry rich men and then boom, problem solved. We'll never have to lift a finger."

"Please, not this talk again." Alex scoffed.

"Just think about it Alex, rich guys are pretty hot."

"Yes, and ninety percent of the time, they're jerks. I'm not marrying any jerk. I'm not marrying anybody, as a matter of fact."

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.

"Come on, Alex! Quit saying that!"

"I don't want to talk about it, Piper." Alex grumbled, flipping through her keys to avoid eye contact.

"You are smoking hot, Als. You just gotta get out there a little more, party every now and then? Go to a bar, maybe?"

"Drop it, please. I don't want to end on a bad note. We already had a rough start."

"Okay, fine. I'm dropping it." Piper sighed. They waited as Alex worked the key into the lock. Piper continued to mumble things to herself. "Droppin' it low. So low I'll never see it again. It's gone actually, I buried it."

As Alex swung open the door, she froze in her tracks. She dropped the keys and put up her hands, forming a violet force field with them. Piper quickly looked over Alex's shoulder to see a woman standing in the middle of their den.

"Who are you?" Alex snapped. "Answer me, now!"

"Take it easy. I come in peace." The woman said casually, taking a step forward.

"Don't move! One more step and you're out that window and a bug on somebody's windshield." Deep down, Alex was shocked that this woman hadn't screamed and run away. If Alex ever used her abilities around someone that wasn't Piper, people freaked out and did exactly that.

"Fine." She held up her hands in surrender. "Alex Cooper, Piper Williamson, I am Maria Hill, deputy director of SHIELD. I've come to propose an offer to you."

"SHIELD?" Piper whispered audibly. "That's like the Avengers!"

"I do as a matter of fact work with the Avengers." Maria continued, branching off of Piper's words. "They're an interesting bunch, actually."

"Do I dare ask how you know about me?" Alex spoke up.

"We've always known about you, and your mother. But my director and I decided to wait to approach you."

"Why?" Alex shot back.

"The time didn't seem right."

"And now it does? Just because your _bunch_ of superhumans saved the world last month?"

"No. The Chitauri attack actually has nothing to do with you, or your friend here. And if you come with me, I'll tell you everything."

Alex froze. The thoughts were running through her mind.

"Alex?" Piper muttered. "I think you can put the field down now."

The muscles in Alex's arms slowly relaxed as the purple field faded into thin air. "You'll tell me _everything_?"

"I won't leave out a single detail."

The silence in the room became heavy, almost unbearable, until Alex finally broke it. "I guess we better get moving, then."

* * *

When Maria showed Piper and Alex into just the main lobby of the tower, they were both starstruck. They had never seen anything like it in their entire lives.

"This is the commons, where almost anyone in the staff has access to." Maria explained as they walked.

"I thought this was Stark Tower?" Piper eventually asked.

"It was, but Mr. Stark has been courteous enough to share his space with us for now. He's got big plans for this place."

"Is he here, right now?" Piper continued.

Alex smacked her arm, giving Piper a threatening look. Piper was such a fan-girl. Alex was exceedingly worried that Piper would mess things up or do something stupid.

"He stepped out earlier for a meeting, but I'm sure he'll return momentarily."

"And what about Captain America?"

"Piper!" Alex hissed.

"What?!" Piper mouthed.

"Same with him." Maria turned and smiled, "He should be back any minute."

Piper pumped a fist once Maria turned back around, and Alex just smacked her again.

After a few more elevator trips and walks down long, glassy halls, Maria finally stopped at a door that had the SHIELD eagle stamped on the frosted window of the door. "Director Fury is waiting inside for you, Miss Cooper. Miss Williamson, you'll stay with me for now. I'm sure Mr. Stark wouldn't mind meeting another fan of his."

"Sweet! Thank you!" Piper grinned.

"Piper, be careful. Don't break anything." Alex muttered, smiling at Maria before they walked away. She took a deep breath before finally wrapping her palm around the doorknob and twisting it slowly. The door drifted open to reveal a man, with an eye patch, sitting at a long table surrounded by many fancy office chairs.

"Miss Cooper, it's about time we've met. Please, have a seat."

Alex did as he asked, more tense than she's ever been. "So, you know why you're here?"

"Only mostly. Maria mentioned something about my mother? And, that you've all been spying on me for a while. That's not a very welcoming greeting if you ask me."

He laughed, becoming serious. "We were only doing our job." He paused. "You're special, Miss Cooper. Very special. No one knows of this except for your friend, yes?"

"Yes."

"Any family?"

"None. I'm assuming you know my mother died a very long time ago."

"Yes, and I'm sorry for your loss. What about your friends? Any of them know about this?"

"Piper is my only friend."

He nodded. "You're a smart girl."

"Maria told me you decided to wait to contact me. Why is that?"

"We waited because we had no reason for your help, until now."

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"You're an independent young woman who gets along just fine on her own. You rarely use your powers and we had no concern that you ever would. As long as we kept a steady eye on you, I wasn't worried about you at all. However, recent accounts have come in a threat that the Avengers wouldn't be able to stop by themselves."

"You're saying you need me to help them?" Alex couldn't help but laugh to herself. "How is that even possible?"

"I'll show you, only if you show me a few things first."

"I'm sorry?"

"Show me what you can do. I'm what some may call curious."

* * *

Alex took a deep breath. Fury had shown her down to one of their training rooms for the Avengers. Alex stood anxiously waiting to hear instructions over the loudspeaker from someone. The room filled with one way glass, and unfortunately it was the people inside the room who couldn't see out of it.

"Alex, can you hear me?" Fury's voice rang over the loudspeaker.

"Yes."

"Good."

The door suddenly opened, and a man covered in all black stepped. Alex gasped and backed up slightly.

"Relax," Fury continued. "This is your training partner. More like your punching bag. Don't go too rough on him, okay?"

"What do you want me to do, exactly?" Alex asked, the man still walking towards her.

"Show me what you've got." The man answered, getting even closer. Before Alex could back away he was practically up in her face, except the scary part was that she couldn't see his. Alex tried hitting him, pushing him away, but he wouldn't budge. This guy was made out of rocks or something.

"I don't want to hurt you!" Alex cried, trying to push him away.

"It's okay. You can't hurt me."

His voice sounded familiar. Alex couldn't put a finger on it.

"Miss Cooper, sometime this year please." Fury's voice returned.

"But I can't just-"

"Do it." The man said.

Out of fear and pressure, Alex vanished into thin air. She slipped out of the man's grasp and didn't fire a force field at him until he practically lunged at her. Her field wasn't strong enough to push him completely out of the way. He reached forward and got a hold of Alex's arm, causing her to cry out and reappear. She ripped her arm back and began throwing kicks and punches, afraid of this man who seemed like he was trying to hurt her. It was quickly proven that hand to hand combat wasn't going to be enough. Alex began using her force fields to her full extent, taking the man down in no time. Once he was finally on the ground, tapped out, Fury's voice returned over the loudspeaker.

"Thank you, Miss Cooper. That's plenty."

Alex quickly ran over to the man and helped him up. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

He chuckled, panting. "It's not a problem, really. You did what you had to." He took off his mask and Alex became froze.

No wonder his voice sounded familiar.

"Miss Cooper," Steve said politely, holding out his hand.

As shaky as her palms were, Alex accepted his gesture. "Captain, I, I, um-"

"Please, call me Steve." He smiled.

"And you can call me Alex."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


	2. Under Oath

Alex got lost in Steve's eyes. She'd never seen irises so blue. He was so mesmerizing, between his ocean-like eyes, warm smile, blonde hair, perfect body-

"Alex!" Piper called, sliding through the door into the training room. "That was amazing!"

"You saw all of that?"

"Yeah, Maria let me watch with her! This place is amazing, Als! We have to move here, we just have to, can you imagine? We'll be-" Piper froze as soon as she saw Steve. "Whoa, you're-"

"Steve, just call me Steve." He smiled.

"Steve?" Piper gasped. "Wow. That's hot-"

"Piper-" Alex groaned, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, she's just-"

"Alex, relax, I'm sure it's nothing he hasn't heard before."

Steve was blushing, and he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "She's right. But, thank you, I guess."

"Good work, Miss Cooper." Maria spoke up from behind. "Would you mind coming with me for a few moments?"

"Um, sure. It was nice meeting you, Steve." Alex grinned.

"You too, Alex."

* * *

Alex sat with Nick and Maria for what felt like hours, just talking everything over. They told her everything about the initiative that had quite literally assembled the Avengers, and gave her a brief history of each of the heroes. They still wouldn't open up and tell Alex why they needed her on the team so badly.

"You'd said you show me why you needed my help if I showed you a few things." Alex snapped. "So, talk, or the deal's off."

Fury let out a small sigh of defeat before leaning forward and crossing his arms on the table. "Our monitors have been picking up reports of all the robberies and minor crimes all over the city for months now. Recently, the amount of crimes rose dramatically. We didn't think anything of it until we saw this."

He turned to the large television hanging in the front of the meeting room, the screen now showing footage from a security camera. Alex watched closely as the robber, a young man, broke into the corner store only moments after the cashier had locked the door. The cashier whipped out a gun to fire at the intruder, and the two talked a little before anything went down. When the young guy kept walking towards the cashier, he fired at the attacker. The gunshots did no harm to him, there wasn't even any blood. The young man proceeded to kill the cashier and then shoot the security camera.

"What is he, some sort of robot?" Alex commented.

"Close." Maria began, "He's a genetically modified being. These people have all the lifelike qualities of any regular human, except they can't be killed by any of us."

"The only thing that can stop them is you." Fury added.

"Me?" Alex gaped. "How?"

"There's a special molecule in your abilities that can instantly wipe them out. Doctor Banner has been doing research on these things for weeks. He's very confident in his work. Mr. Stark even double checked it to be safe. You're our only hope, Miss Cooper."

Silence fell over the room. Alex was still trying to process everything she'd just been told.

"So, are you in?" Maria spoke up.

* * *

"What do you mean you said you'd think about it?!" Piper shouted as her and Alex left the tower and vanished on the dark streets of Manhattan.

"Piper, please don't yell. Calm down."

Piper took a deep break to lower her voice. "But give me this much, what is there to think about?! Isn't this everything you've ever wanted?! You can finally use that stuff pumping through your veins for something more! You can work with the Avengers, you can save people!"

"It's more than that, Piper. It's not just a one time gig. So what if I stop these freaky robot people, then what?! Another alien attack? A robot army? The end of the world?!"

"It doesn't matter what comes next because you won't have to do it alone! I'll be there, so will they!" Piper motioned back to the tower. "They already know everything about you. If you say no, they'll just keep spying on you. It's not like saying no will make all of this go away." She paused, thinking. "Think about your mom. What would she want you to do?"

"Don't you dare bring my mother into this." Alex snarled.

"Sorry."

Alex thought about her mother. She never got to know her, but everything that Piper's parents told her made her sound like the greatest woman that ever lived. She was strong, smart, wise, everything. Alex wished she could've gotten to know her, at least just a little. "We've talked enough about my day, for now." Alex sighed. "What about you? What did Maria show you?"

"Well, she showed me all of the quinjets, so that was pretty cool. And she introduced me to Tony, and Clint. It was weird meeting them, after seeing them on TV and all."

"Yeah, it was pretty weird beating up Captain America and not even knowing it."

"Speaking of, I saw you two having a little stare down going on."

"Oh no, please don't say it-"

"I think he likes you."

"Piper, he's literally Captain America. He could have any girl he wants. He's not gonna waist his time on me."

"I haven't seen him look at any other girl the way he looked at you."

"Piper you act like you see him everyday or something. He might have something going on with Black Widow for all we know."

"No way, her and that Clint guy are probably engaged or something."

Alex chuckled. "Okay, sure."

"I'm just saying, Als. You never know."

"Yeah, I guess not."

* * *

Alex was tossing and turning on the couch all night long. She couldn't rest with so many thoughts running through her mind. She ran the business card with Maria's number on it through her fingers gently as the moonlight shone in through the window. Alex took a deep breath, laying out all of the pros and cons of the situation in her head.

By the time the sun rose, she was dialing Maria's number on the phone.

* * *

A couple of days later, Alex found herself calling out of work "sick" and heading down to the tower again.

Her heart was racing, palms shaky and nerves on edge. This was a big decision to make, and she was afraid that she was about to make the wrong one.

When Alex arrived to the tower, Maria greeted her in the lobby.

"It's nice to see you again." She smiled.

"You too." Alex muttered, her throat now constricting.

"I suppose we'll be seeing a lot more of you now, yes?"

"Yes." The words fell from her lips before she could rethink anything. There was no turning back now. "I accept your offer."

Maria held out her hand. "Welcome to the team."

* * *

Alex felt like she was doing paperwork for days on end. In reality, it was only an hour or two. They ran multiple tests on her, getting readings for all of her abilities and basic vitals.

By the time everything was done, it was around six in the evening. Alex was ready to just go home. She still needed to break the news to Piper anyways.

"Miss Cooper," Fury's voice caught her attention from behind. "You're still here. There's a briefing with the rest of the team in five minutes, and I suggest that you join us."

"Is that an invitation or an order, sir?"

"Depends on how you look at it." He said, walking away. "The meeting's in room 24C!" He called back.

"An order, right." Alex scoffed as she began her march to the meeting room.

* * *

When Alex swung the door open, a room full of heads turned to look at her. She felt her muscles tense as she let go of the door knob.

"Speak of the devil, there she is." Fury broke the silence. "Please, take a seat."

Alex's eyes quickly scanned the room and saw that the only seat left was the one between Tony and Steve. Wonderful.

"Now, I've called you all here today for two reasons. A, Miss Cooper's arrival to the team. I _suggest_ you all give her a warm welcome." He looked at Alex. "And B, accounts of the genetically modified vermin are coming in faster than ever. We need to go review a few things before sending you all out into the field."

"What about dinner?" Clint asked.

"Agent Barton, please."

There were a few small suppressed laughs that echoed through the room. As Fury started to review the information about the gene-people, Alex quickly realized it was the same stuff he had already told her about.

Her first meeting with the Avengers and she was already bored. She was starting to regret her decision.

After ages of listening to Fury flap his jaws and few more outbursts from Clint, his rant was finally over.

"Any questions?"

"So what are we supposed to do-" Tony began, "Just watch her back while she wipes 'em out?"

"To put it bluntly, yes. And these things can only be held off for so long. Efficiency is key."

"So that's it?" Natasha was next to speak up, "We're just supposed to trust this girl with no history of doing anything with her abilities?"

"Yes, Romanoff." Fury spat. "I don't want any attitude from any of you about this mission. Cooper is our only option and that's been finalized. If that's all, then you're dismissed."

Everyone seemed to rise at once, like students leaving class when the bell rang.

"Somebody's cranky today." Tony muttered to Alex.

She simply smiled as she joined him and Steve in pushing in their chairs.

"Well uh, welcome to the team." Steve began.

"Thanks," Alex smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It seems like you're the only one who cares."

"Don't let Natasha get to you. She's got some trust issues. She'll warm up to you."

"I hope so."

"Alex, is it?" Bruce approached you once you were out in the hallway.

"Yes, hi-" She replied shaking his hand.

"I'm Bruce, it's a pleasure to have you working with us."

"Thank you."

* * *

"See?" Steve said after Bruce walked away. "It's not so bad."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, it's just, first-time jitters, y'know?"

"I completely understand."

"Well, I guess I'll see you around, Steve."

"Yeah, you too."

Alex awkwardly broke away and started down the hallway, but was stopped by Steve calling out her name again.

"Um," He began, uneasy. "I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to, talk, maybe? Not, just talk, but, nothing more than talking! I just wanted to-"

"Capsicle's trying to ask you out on a date, in case you were wondering." Tony said as he walked by.

Steve sighed in defeat, his cheeks bright red. "Don't worry about it, I'm-"

"I'd love to." Alex blurted out, just as nervous as Steve was.

"Really? Wow, that's, great, thank you-"

"No, thank you." Alex grinned.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, do you have a phone I could call you on?"

"Yeah, um, here-" He pulled out an IPhone. It took him a few tries until he finally got the password right and the phone unlocked. "Sorry, technology's crazy now. I'm still getting used to all of this."

Alex noticed he was squinting, and she peeked over his hand to see that the brightness on his phone was all the way down.

"Do you need some help?"

"Um, yeah..." He sighed. "How do I make it bright again?"

"Here, you just swipe up, and then slide the little dot across the line." Alex showed him the steps, and smiled when she saw Steve's eyes light up.

"Thanks!"

"Not a problem." Alex laughed, quickly typing her number into his phone. Her fingers were shaking so much it took her three tries to get the number right.

* * *

"YOU'RE GOING ON A DATE WITH CAPTAIN AMERICA!" Piper yelled at the top of her lungs. "I can't believe this...AND YOU JOINED THE AVENGERS? ALL IN ONE DAY?! THIS IS...AMAZING!"

"Piper, keep yelling and the noise complaint bill is coming out of your paycheck this time." Alex remarked.

"I DON'T CARE!" Piper began cheering, and she ran over and picked her roommate up in a huge hug. "I'm so happy for you, Als. Honestly. This is like a dream come true."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"Why?"

"So far it seems like half the team has given me the cold shoulder already, and I'm the only one of them who can stop those things. I don't know, it just doesn't feel right."

"It will. Trust me." Piper smiled. "Y'know, if you're hanging out with Steve then you need something to wear."

"No, Piper-"

"Yes! Come on! I'll let you borrow whatever you want!"

"I don't like your clothes!"

"Too bad!" Piper laughed, grabbing Alex and dragging her into the bedroom by her arm.

* * *

Later that night, Alex laid awake in the bed this time. She made small, violet bulbs with her hands that lit up the entire room upon their birth. Even after the big decision of the week was over and done with, she still couldn't sleep.

The entire city was counting on her, a girl they had never heard of before, to keep them safe.

The entire world was, in a way.

_You'll never do it._

_You'll never save them._

_They'll die and it will be all your fault._

_Coward._

_Monster._

_You can't do anything right._

Alex shook the voices from her head as she turned to lay on her side, tears in her eyes. She wiped them away and tried to think of something good.

She immediately thought of Steve's crystal blue eyes.


	3. Leap of Faith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: This chapter contains mention of depression, suicide attempt, and self harm.

The next morning, Alex and Piper went to work just like always. It felt weird acting "normal" again, and the girls didn't talk as much as they usually would. Once Alex got to work, right on time to be exact, her boss started snapping at her as soon as she set foot in the door.

"Cooper! Get over here, now!"

Alex stopped, rolling her eyes before turning to face him. "Yes, sir?"

"Why are you late?"

"I'm not late."

"I asked you to come in a half hour early today."

Alex had completely forgotten with all of the madness that she was indeed on schedule 30 minutes earlier than her usual shift today. "I'm sorry, I forgot. It won't happen again."

He laughed mockingly. "But you said that last time, and the time before that, and the time before that! You're never gonna get anything better than this if you can't even show up on time! I really think I should just go ahead and-"

"Fire me?" Alex chuckled. "Please, go right ahead. You'll be doing me a huge favor."

He was shocked at her response. The old Alex would've been practically in tears, begging for forgiveness and groveling at his knees. But not anymore. "I'll let you off the hook one more time. But I mean it, next time you walk in here late I'll-"

"But you said that last time, and the time before that, and the time before that! There's no need for you to stand here and fire me because I quit!" Alex yelled, storming out immediately after.

"You'll fail, Cooper! You'll never make it out there on your own!"

Alex simply ignored him as she made it out onto the busy streets. "Watch me." She hung a left, heading straight for the tower.

* * *

When Alex stumbled into the lobby, the anger practically radiating from her being, all of the interns and SHIELD agents cleared a path for her as she made it to the elevator. Once she was alone in the elevator car, she took a deep breath and fought off the urge to blow everything up. She could see the violet energy dancing under the skin of her fingertips, but she made sure she kept herself in check. The elevator doors slid back open and she jumped at the sight of Maria waiting on the floor for her.

"Miss Cooper, you're here early. Any particular reason why?"

"I quit my job. I didn't know where else to go."

Maria smiled. "You came to the right place. Come on, Mr. Stark is working on a suit for you. I'm sure he'd be happy to have some of your input."

"A suit?" Alex asked as the joined Maria on their stroll down the hall.

"Yes, for missions. You're gonna need something more than jeans and a t-shirt out there."

"Yeah," Alex trailed off. "I guess so."

* * *

The day seemed to go by much slower at SHIELD. Everything was calm. Alex always thought it would be crazy, people running around everywhere, utter chaos. It was the exact opposite. It was peaceful, really.

It wasn't long after the news of Alex's presence got out that Steve was by her side again. Alex always felt better after she talked to him, but she wasn't quite sure why.

Alex also got to talk a little more to Clint and Bruce, got another glare from Natasha, and talked to Thor about her powers. For a guy as powerful as him, he was very intrigued by the little things.

After a while, Alex found herself alone with Steve again. They were sitting at the island in the kitchen, just talking, laughing, having a good time.

"So, have you had any more problems with that phone of yours?" Alex asked, grinning.

"Huh? Oh, no, not since you made it brighter for me. Thanks again, by the way."

"It was my pleasure."

"Yeah, ever since I came back I've had a little trouble fitting in. Things are so different now, it's crazy."

"I wouldn't be able to tell you about everything, but I can probably help you with the basics."

"Thanks, I'd like that."

Suddenly, Natasha burst into the room, her face appearing more tense than usual. "We've gotta go. Now."

"Nat, mind explaining yourself?" Steve retorted as he and Alex jumped to their feet.

"They're at the loading dock waiting to attack an incoming SHIELD aircraft carrier with important cargo when it comes into port. We don't have much time."

"Does this mean that I have to-"

"Yep." Natasha cut Alex off. "I hope you can do what they say you can."

"Nat-" Steve warned, the three now speeding down the hallway.

"It's fine." Alex hushed him.

Natasha simply rolled her eyes.

* * *

At the loading dock, Steve and Natasha hung back while they sent Alex in for the main kill. They had to, it was all they could do.

About thirty of the genetically modified people were lurking around. They were as far back as ten blocks away, while a good portion of the rest were centered around guarding SHIELD's boating dock. From first glance, people would just think they were SHIELD agents doing their jobs. Close up was a whole different story.

Alex had turned invisible, and she was able to walk right into the situation unseen. Her new suit, which resembled Natasha's, made it easier for her to move in quickly.

She made her way into the control room and was able to send the ship a signal telling the captain to stall time before docking, and that it was unsafe to bring the ship to shore. And it wasn't long after that when the "gene-people" realized that the ship was turning away from the dock, and they knew their plan had been jeopardized.

"It's okay." Steve spoke to Alex through her earpiece. "You can do this. If anything goes wrong Nat and I are right behind you."

"But you technically aren't, and that's what I'm worried about." Alex whispered back, ducking low next to some barrels of oil.

"You know if we show ourselves it's gonna get out of control. You have to start this on your own."

"I know. I'll try my best."

Alex started sneaking her away around the area again, climbing to the top of the first level of rafters and waiting, like a spider waiting to fall upon it's prey. As soon as once of them walked underneath her, she released her grip on the metal and dropped onto him full force. She pinned him down and blasted him with her energy in seconds, his false body going limp. He hadn't screamed, and no one heard the thump of his body. All was still calm.

"That was good. Keep going."

One rounded the corner next, and she did the same thing. She was able to take out about seven of them individually without raising any alarm, or showing herself, until one of them found the pile of corpses where Alex had been doing her work at.

"Lock it down, we've got an intruder." The man said, putting a finger on his ear piece as he bounded down the metal stairs.

Alex wasn't far behind, and she jumped into action before he could summon any help. "You know, I don't see how someone could intrude in a public place." Her voice ringing out caused him to stop dead in his tracks.

"This isn't a public place, it's private property! Owned by SHIELD!"

She finally showed herself, leaning against one of the metal support rods of the rafters. "Well, you don't look like a SHIELD agent to me."

Steve's voice was in her ear next. "Alex! He's stalling, they're all headed for you!"

"He warned us about you." The man spat. "He knew you were still out there. Waiting, watching, ready to foil our plans." Alex simply listened and let this guy give her as much information as possible. "But not today, _Alex_."

Before she could respond, she heard the metal stairs rattling, signaling that the rest of them were there and ready to fight. She impulsively began firing her energy in every direction, hitting them enough to at least knock them down. She couldn't wipe them out until they got close to her and the force field could put strain on their head, causing their brains to stop functioning.

Alex was able to wipe out a few more before it all became too much, and she found herself right against the edge of the rafters, the dark water of the Hudson dancing below.

"Alex," Steve returned. "Don't jump. They've got some waiting in the water for you."

She cursed inwardly. She was stuck, she'd have to jump. There was no other way.

"Just come with us." One of them spoke up. "You won't regret it."

"I'm gonna have to pass on your offer." She smirked. "Sorry." Alex then blasted all of them with the strongest field she could produce, nearly all of them killed upon impact. When the few remaining tried to lunge at her, she jumped backwards and began her descent towards the water. Before she made contact with the water, she turned invisible again, making it just a little harder for the ones in the water to find her.

The water was cold against her exposed skin, and it was much too murky to see through. She swam away from all of the bubbles her landing had caused, because she knew that was going to be the first place they were going to look for her.

Suddenly, Alex felt a hand grab her ankle. It was too late. She could see three of them surrounding her in the water. Before she could act, the one at her feet twisted her ankle until a loud snap could be heard through the depths of the water. Alex's mouth opened as she impulsively cried out, oxygen escaping her lungs as the other two grabbed her arms. She did her best to fight them off, but she could no longer swim away. Eventually, she was able to knock them all out with a large field. Their bodies began to sink, and hers remained trapped. She couldn't swim up fast enough, and the light seemed to fade as she felt the water just waiting to fill her lungs. Her muscles began to cramp, and everything went black.

* * *

Piper sat alone in the apartment, watching TV on the couch. She hadn't heard from Alex, but she knew her shift wasn't over until six tonight. She still had some time.

All of a sudden, Piper's phone began ringing. She dug around the den until she eventually found it under a pillow. "Hello?"

"Piper? This is Maria. Alex is hurt. I'm-"

"Where is she?"

"Piper, please remain calm-"

"Tell me where she is! Now!" Piper shouted, grabbing her keys and heading out the door.

"She's in our medical ward at the tower. But-"

Piper ended the call as she ran down the stairs to the lobby. There were many thoughts running through her head, but making sure Alex was okay was first and foremost.

* * *

Piper stormed into the tower, much like Alex had earlier. She got directions to the medical ward from an intern and went on her way.

"Why are these new chicks so angry all the time?" One of the interns asked.

"I don't know, dude, they're freaking me out."

Piper didn't stop until she finally made it to the ward and Natasha forced her to halt.

"Hold on, you can't go in there."

"You can't tell me what to do-"

"Yes, I can. And I suggest you and your little friend let us do the work or people are going to keep getting hurt."

"Tasha," Steve called, "Relax." He walked up to them.

Nat gave Piper one last glare before walking off.

"Don't mind her, she's just upset."

"Where's Alex?" Piper demanded.

"She's fine-"

Piper tried to weave her way past Steve. "Let me see her!"

"Hey, hey, Piper? Listen, they aren't letting me back there either. We're gonna have to wait this one out together."

She sighed in defeat. "Okay."

* * *

Piper and Steve sat on the bench for what felt like hours, but was really only thirty minutes. At first they were silent, but Steve decided to pick up a conversation.

"I was supposed to take her out to dinner tonight. Now she's hurt, and it's all my fault."

"No, it's not. I know it's not. She does reckless stuff like this all the time. She used to, anyways." Piper pinched the bridge of her nose.

"What do you mean?" Steve asked.

"It's a long story."

"We've got time."

Piper sighed. "It's in your best interest to know. But you can't let on that you know any of this, okay?"

"My lips are sealed."

"It all started when we were young. Probably only ten or twelve. She always seemed so happy, I never would've guessed she was hurting herself."

"Wait, she-"

"Alex self-harmed for a long time. I didn't piece any of it together until we were about fifteen. I told my parents, not knowing what to do, and-"

"What about Alex's parents?"

"She never knew them. Her mother was sexually assaulted, so nobody knew the father, and her mother died when she was only a baby. My parents had been good friends with Alex's mom for a long time, so they adopted Alex because they knew it was the best thing for her."

Steve nodded as Piper continued.

"So anyways, I told my parents. They got her involved with this counseling group, and eventually she did stop cutting. But then, when we were seventeen, I caught her trying to overdose in the bathroom. After that I made an oath to never let her out of my sight again. She went back to counseling, but it just never seemed to help her. I'm pretty sure she even took medicine for a while. I'm still not sure why none of it worked."

"Why did Alex do all of this in the first place?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why was she so upset?"

"I think it was a little bit of everything, to be honest. Being an orphan with no parents to search for, her powers made her feel unwanted and like a freak, and I think just knowing that her mother was sexually assaulted made her feel even less wanted than any of us would ever know. My parents and I did everything we could to make her feel better. My mom and dad gave her a happy childhood, but they couldn't hide the truth from her either."

Steve nodded, the sorrow heavy in his eyes. "So she's always had her powers then?"

"She was born with them. Her mother, Lucy, had them too."

"Lucy as in Lucy Cooper?" Steve looked shocked.

"Yeah, why?"

"I've seen that name before."

* * *

Alex's eyes fluttered open to reveal that she was alone in some sort of hospital room. It didn't take her long to spot the famous eagle symbol, and she knew that she was back at SHIELD. She sat up in bed and tossed the covers off of her body, only to see a boot around her ankle. That was when she remembered what had happened. She sighed and swung her legs over the side of the bed, grabbing a pair of crutches that were against the night stand.

"I'd stay in that bed if I were you."

Alex looked up to see Maria standing in the doorway.

"I'm fine."

"You've got a dislocated ankle and you almost drowned. I wouldn't call that fine."

"Ew," Alex commented on her ankle. "Did they pop it back in yet?"

"Yes, but you'll be in that removable boot for a few weeks while it heals." Maria paused. "Your friends are waiting for you. I'll send them back."

Alex nodded as she left. She remembered what Steve last said to her. _Don't jump._

_And what did she do?_

"Alex, oh thank God you're okay-" Piper breathed, walking up and giving her a hug.

Steve waited in the doorway. "Don't jump, huh?"

"Steve, I'm sorry." Alex sighed. "I didn't know what else to do and I-"

"It's okay. The most important thing is that you're safe."

Alex blushed, "Thanks."

"Awwhhh-" Piper drawled from the corner.

Steve smiled and Alex shot her a look.

"Oh, sorry." Piper mumbled. "I'll just, I'll wait outside."

"I'm sorry about her-"

"Hey, it's okay."

The awkward tension returned, and Alex looked down at her lap to avoid eye contact.

"So, are we still on for that date?"

Steve's words surprised her. She'd completely forgotten.

Her cheeks were tinted pink as she responded softly, her head in the clouds. "Of course."


	4. Alex, Interrupted

A few weeks later, Alex found herself getting ready for her and Steve's date. Her ankle was healed and she'd never felt better.

"Alex! What time is Steve getting here?" Piper yelled from the den, tidying up as much as she could.

"5!" Alex called back, walking out of the bedroom. "I was just gonna go down to the lobby and wait for him, Pipes, you don't have to do all of this cleaning."

"Does it ever remotely dawn on you that we live like hermits?"

"Sometimes, but I try and shoo the thought away before it becomes an issue. Why?"

"I honestly didn't realize how disgusting we were until we walked into Stark Tower. Like, this is just gross." Piper frowned, holding up a lone sock that hadn't seen the light of day for at least a month.

"Hey, I was looking for that." Alex commented as she put her first earring in.

"I think it was looking for you too." Piper tossed the sock into a pile of dirty clothes that she was making in the corner.

"I didn't even take you as the cleaning type, Piper."

"Neither did I, Als."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and both girls froze. "Steve!" They gasped.

"I'm not ready!" Alex panicked.

"I'll stall him!" Piper whispered back. "Go!"

Alex scurried back into the bedroom and darted to the conjoined bathroom, while Piper grabbed a few remaining things lying around the den and threw them out of sight. Steve knocked on the door again.

"Just a second!" Piper called, quickly fixing her hair before walking to answer the door.

"Hey Piper," Steve grinned.

"Hi Steve. Please, come in." Piper closed the door behind him. "Alex'll be out in a few minutes. She's still getting ready."

"That's alright." He paused, looking around at the apartment. "Nice place."

"Thanks, it's not much. It's all we can afford." Piper could tell he was trying to polite. This place looked like a rat's nest compared to Stark Tower.

Just then, Alex came out of the bedroom. "Hey," She smiled.

"Hi, you look nice." Steve replied.

Piper simply smiled. She remembered to keep her mouth shut this time.

"Thank you." Alex responded. "I guess we should get going?"

"Sure." Steve let Alex go first. "What are you going to be doing tonight, Piper?"

"Oh, you know, the usual-"

"Netflix." Alex whispered.

"Ah, I haven't gotten into that yet." Steve added.

"If you're gonna start hanging out with us, you'll be an expert before you know it." Piper chuckled, following Alex and Steve to the door. "You kids have fun."

After they had stepped out of the door, Piper closed it behind them. She was going to call out after them, but decided it was best not to. She didn't want to embarrass them again.

"So, how's your ankle?" Steve was the first to start talking once they were seated. He had taken her to a cute little Italian restaurant on the corner not far from the apartment.

"It's better, thanks. It never really hurt that bad to begin with."

"I don't know if I ever got the chance to tell you this, but you did a great job out there. For not having your head in the game very often, those were some pretty good reflexes."

"Thank you." Alex blushed. "It's just instinct, I suppose."

After the waiter took brought back drinks and took their order, they continued to talk. Steve then remembered something he had wanted to mention for a while now.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it."

"Your mother's name was Lucy, correct?"

Alex became stiff. "Yes, it was. Why do you ask?"

"I just feel like I've seen it somewhere before. Her name was mentioned around the time you started here, and I just wanted to see if there was any connection."

"Well, there you go." Alex smiled. She remembered what that guy had said to her before she wiped him out, too. "Hey, did I ever tell you about what those dudes said to me, before I, y'know..."

"At the loading dock?"

Alex nodded.

"No, at least I don't remember you mentioning anything. What did they say?"

"One of them told me that he warned them about me. But I don't know who he is. And they knew my name. It was really weird."

"Did they say anything else to you?"

"No, I didn't give them the chance."

Steve smiled. "Well, they must've been talking about whoever's making them. He must know about you and he must've warned them."

"Yeah, but I wanna find this guy. Give him a piece of my mind."

"Hold on, that's what they're working on at the tower. They'll figure it out."

"How do you trust them so much?"

"Who, SHIELD? I don't, honestly." Steve sighed. "But, when I woke up, I didn't have anywhere else to go. I had to trust them."

Alex nodded. "I mean, I know they're the good guys, but I don't trust them. I feel like Fury's keeping secrets from me about this whole thing. That's why I don't want to wait around for them to find whoever's making these genetic freaks."

Before Steve could answer, there was a loud crash outside of the restaurant. They both turned to see that the street was crawling with more of the gene-people, and they were headed straight for the restaurant.

"Duty calls." Steve said, leaving some cash on the table as they both got up and made a run for the doors.

Once they were outside, they were stopped by two of the freaks getting closer.

"Well well, look what we have here." The once cooed. "How cute."

"What brings you here? I thought I scared you guys off."

They began laughing at Alex's remark. "Oh Alex, that's adorable. He told us you'd be something else."

"Who told you?" Steve jumped on the mention.

"Our master. He knows all."

"I highly doubt that."

"He knows everything about you. He made you, Alex."

"That's a lie." Alex retorted.

"He made you mother, and she made you, did she not?"

"What's your point?" Steve butted in again.

"Alex belongs to him. And we've come to take her home."

Just then, they lunged at Alex, and she knocked them out with a force field. She didn't have time to stop after that. They all started coming at her, and she had to keep on going. Civilians nearby had whipped out their phones, and and were getting everything on camera. It only took a few minutes for the rest of the team to arrive, and they began helping Alex by keeping the majority of the enemies busy.

It took a lot, but eventually Alex had wiped out all of them. Crowds of civilians cheered, and she couldn't help but smile.

Back at SHIELD, Fury called a meeting for all of the Avengers.

"Good emergency work today, I'm very impressed with all of you. Especially, you, Miss Cooper." He paused. "I called this meeting to tell you all about the plan of action we're taking against this threat. We have all of our agents, interns included, working round the clock to try and find the source of these people. So as for you all, we need you to be on your feet and ready in case they strike again."

"Can we just have like a group chat for these meetings or something? I really don't see the point in calling us all in here to tell us two sentences and then make us leave." Clint blurted out.

"Agent Barton, quiet."

Everyone snickered again, including Alex this time.

"Does anybody have any questions?" Fury asked.

Clint raised his hand.

"Let me rephrase that, does anybody except for Mr. Barton have any questions?" He waited. "No? Good. That will be all, thank you."

After everyone scattered again, Steve snuck off down the hall. The conversation that he had with Alex on their "date" kept burning its way back into his head. He agreed with her when she said about Fury keeping secrets, and he wanted to get to the bottom of this one.

Steve snuck his way into the old file room, which was strictly off limits for everyone except for Fury and Agent Hill. He found the cabinet labeled "C-D", and started digging around. Eventually, he found the two he needed back to back. He slipped them into his jacket and went to go find Alex.

Alex had gone back home, and she was telling Piper all about her eventful afternoon.

"So you didn't even get to finish your date?"

"Nope. We barely even got started. What did you do today?"

"Finished cleaning, and I was watching Netflix until you got back."

"Typical." Alex chuckled.

"Hey, you'd do the same thing if you weren't all popular now. Speaking of, you were on the news earlier. I recorded it."

"Seriously?" Alex gaped. She walked over to the couch as Piper flipped on the news from earlier. Sure enough, it was a live feed from where the attack had happened.

The reporter was narrating everything to the best of her ability, the loud crashes and flying debris. "This girl appears to be working for the Avengers, and these people only seem to react to her abilities. Who is this girl, and what are her incredible abilities? Where did she come from?"

"This is a good feeling but also a bad one." Alex remarked.

"Why do you say that?"

"It's good because it's pretty awesome knowing that all of the people that know me are gonna see me doing this and be blown away, but it's also bad because I don't want to be famous for this stuff. I just want to do my job and move on, ya know?"

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Steve was back.

"Come in!" The girls called.

"Long time no see." Steve teased.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Alex asked.

"Well, after the meeting I did a little digging and wanted to show these to you." Steve said, unzipping his jacket and putting the files down on the table as he took a seat next to Alex on the couch. She leaned forward and studied the files closely.

One had her name stamped on it, and the second one had her mother's.

"Where did you get these?" Alex breathed.

"Top secret."

"Fury never showed me these..." Alex trailed off as she opened her mother's file.

Lucy Anne Cooper

1965-1995

Date of Birth: Thursday, July 9th. Manhattan, NY

Date of Death: Tuesday, December 10th. Location unknown.

Cause of Death: Murder

Alex's eyes froze on her mother's cause of death. "She was murdered?"

"What?" Piper spoke up, looking over Alex's shoulder.

"That's impossible. My mother died in a car accident." Alex looked up at Steve. "Are you sure that these are legit?"

"Yes, I took them from the file room at the tower."

"Why would your parents lie to us?" Alex looked at Piper now.

"I think they were the ones that were lied to. You know my parents didn't keep any secrets from you, Alex."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I just can't believe..." Alex eyes wandered down the page a little further to the place of burial. "Hey, this is wrong, too."

"You mean she's not buried there?"

"No, I visit her grave all the time it's at the little church off of 5th avenue."

"Maybe one of them's fake?" Piper questioned.

"What do you mean one of them's fake?"

"I'm saying that what if they set up a fake grave because the real one has something important in it or something." Piper continued. Steve and Alex stared at her questioningly. "Hey, y'all can believe what you want I'm just trying to think of possibilities here."

"You watch too much television." Alex remarked.

"Geesh, you're welcome then."

"I'm sorry, Piper. I'm just under a lot of pressure right now." Alex sighed, flipping through more of her mother's file.

Lucy Cooper created her unique abilities to turn invisible and control electromagnetic forces with the palm of her bare hand all inside a science lab. Her experiments were passed down to Lucy's daughter, Alexis Dawn, genetically. Cooper also worked for SHIELD for a short period of time, removing herself from the agency not long after she found out she was pregnant. Family-friends Ben and Margaret Williamson legally adopted Alexis after Lucy's death.

"But seriously though, I think Piper might be on to something. Especially after what those guys said to you earlier." Steve added. "It's worth checking out the place they've got listed on file. Maybe there's something there we could use."

"Use for what, Steve?" Alex questioned as she continued to read the papers.

"There's clearly something going on, how could you have not known about your mother being murdered your entire life? It sounds like someone's trying to cover something up."

"Do we have a mystery on our hands?" Piper gasped. "How exciting!"

"Who's this Dexter Lewis guy?"

"Who?" Steve asked. Alex pointed at the little information blurb on the paper. "No idea." He thought about it for a minute. "Maybe he's the guy that helped give your mom her powers."

"So, is it mystery solving time?" Piper asked again.

"I guess it is, and this church is our first stop."


	5. Lost and Found

Steve and Alex didn't waste any time in going to check out Lucy's marked place of burial. Piper decided to stay back, as much as she wanted to see everything. She didn't want to seem like a third wheel either.

"Okay, so, what are we looking for exactly?" Steve asked as they walked through the graveyard.

"Anything. Could be a secret code...I don't know." Alex trailed off. "What I'm confused about is why lie about a burial place? What's there to hide?"

"We've got two possibilities here. One, this is actually her real grave and there's not gonna be anything here. Or two, this isn't her real grave, but they're hiding something here and had this place of burial recorded so they could find whatever it was that was hidden here. Your mom might have even left it as a clue even."

"I doubt that. From the sounds of things she wouldn't want SHIELD to know if she was hiding something."

"That's true. I'm just listing options." Steve commented.

"Of course, thank you."

Steve smiled. "Hey, I think this is it."

Alex joined him. She crouched down low to observe her mother's name carved into the old stone.

_Lucy Anne Cooper_

_Loving mother, incredible hero._

"That's it?" Alex scoffed.

"What do you mean?"

"The other headstone has so much more...I don't know, stuff written on it. This one's so 's not even any dates on it!"

"So maybe it's a fake then?" Steve continued as Alex got down on her knees in the grass. She started feeling around the edges of the stone for any sort of-

"Hey, what's this..." Alex crawled around to the side of the stone to see a little SHIELD logo carved into the side of it, glowing purple. She put her finger against it, allowing the energy in her hand to grow to the same strength as the one illuminating from the carved rock. Within seconds, there was a popping sound, and a little compartment had opened just above Alex's hand. She reached inside to pull out an old ring, the numbers 21-48-92 engraved on the inside of the band. Below the ring was an old journal. Alex slipped the ring on her finger and began flipping through the book. "I think this is her diary, or something."

"Well, that's certainly not nothing." Steve commented.

"Yeah," Alex smiled, "Tell me about it."

* * *

A few days later, Alex sat reading through her mother's old journal. Her discoveries were incredible, and now Alex could see why her mother worked so hard to keep them a secret. Eventually, Alex found a journey entry addressed to her.

_My dearest Alex,_

_If you're reading this, it means I've been gone for quite some time. I'm so sorry I had to leave you so soon. It couldn't be any other way. In case you haven't figured it out by now, you're very special. Your power is something unique, no one else in the entire world has it. It's all yours. People are going to want you for it. They're going to use you, and make you feel useless. Don't let them get into your head. Remember- always do what feels right in your heart, and keep the ones you love close. I love you. -Mom_

Alex wiped a stray tear from her cheek before flipping through some more of the pages. She soon found another one that caught her attention.

_THE RING:_

_To whomever is reading this, I know you have the ring. If you have this book, you have my ring. If not, you've got a bumpy road ahead of you. The ring is a key, and the numbers on the inside band are the combination. It opens the door to my old office. I'll give you a clue and one clue only: Daylight above the way. Happy hunting._

"Daylight above the way? What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Alex sighed, holding her head in her hands.

"Hey," Piper yawned, stretching as she emerged from the bedroom.

"Hi," Alex replied, her eyes glued to the journal in her lap.

"Are you still looking at that thing? Take a break your eyes are gonna fall out."

"Daylight above the way...what does that mean to you?"

"Come again?" Piper stuck her head in the fridge to find breakfast.

"Daylight above the way. That's the only clue my mom left to find her old office, which the numbers on the ring unlock the door to."

"Hmm, well, it's probably telling you where the lock is hidden or something. Above the way makes me think of above a walkway, but that's kind of a stupid place to put a lock."

"Yeah. But we need to find her office first, and she didn't leave a clue for that."

"That's gotta be written down somewhere. If she worked for SHIELD at one point then it's probably at an old SHIELD base." Piper continued as she poured some cereal.

"That's actually a really good point, Piper, thanks."

"You're welcome."

Alex then closed the journal and laid it on the table, walking to the bedroom to get dressed.

"Where are you going?" Piper called after her.

"I'm gonna go by the tower."

"Why?"

"Why do you think? I need to tell Steve about the next clue, and I'm gonna look for a record about all of the old SHIELD bases."

"Y'know, I was just guessing when I said that. We have no idea if that's where her office is actually gonna be."

"But it's our best shot!"

"I know, Als, I'm just a little worried about you doing all this snooping behind Fury's back...I mean, they could kick you out just as fast as they brought you in."

Alex popped her head out. "Your point?"

"I just don't want you to screw anything up, that's all."

"And you're saying that I would screw things up?"

"No, I never said that. Just be careful, sneaking around and lying haven't gotten us very far in life, and it certainly won't get us very far with SHIELD."

"I know. But I don't care about SHIELD. I just care about doing the right thing."

* * *

Alex arrived at the base to find Steve practically waiting for her. He took her to the main lounge upstairs to talk.

"I haven't heard from you in a few days, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I've just been reading through the journal, and I found out what the next step is."

"Enlighten me."

"My mom said that this ring is the key to her old office, and those numbers are the combination lock. So, now we need to find this office and our next clue is inside."

"And this office is where?"

"That would be our next problem to solve," Alex sighed. "Piper said something about old SHIELD bases, because if she worked for SHIELD at some point it would make sense that her old office would be at a base."

"That's a good point. Most of the old bases have been torn down though, or they've been ridden of whatever's inside."

"I'm hoping that her office was secret enough that it'll still be there. What are we supposed to do if it's not?"

Steve nodded. "I only know of one old base. It's technically not even SHIELD's property, though."

"They're a government agency. Don't they own basically everything?"

"Not necessarily, you'd be surprised."

"Okay, so we can go check this one out then?"

"I guess, but we need to be fast."

"Of course."

Meanwhile, Tony and Clint watched Alex and Steve chatting away from a few floors up. They were kicked back on the couch with the security feed playing live on the large flatscreen.

"This is so boring, I was hoping we'd be able to watch something a little more interesting." Clint groaned.

Tony grew concerned. "What are you implying, here?"

"I'm not saying that-"

"Too late. You already said it."

Clint huffed. "Whatever."

Natasha entered the room then. Once she saw what was on the screen, she almost turned and left. "Are you two for real right now?"

"This is as real as it gets, Tasha." Clint replied.

Nat walked up and stood next to the couch, her eyes on the screen as well. She had to stop herself from gagging when Alex and Steve started laughing and smiling. "I don't understand how he trusts her so much."

"Maybe he doesn't." Tony added. "He just likes her."

"Liking people usually means that you trust them. But then again-"

"Not always." Clint finished Nat's words. "You of all people should know that."

"I know. I guess I'm just tired of everything being about her."

"Jealous?" Tony asked.

"In your dreams, Stark."

"Can we watch something else now? Please?" Clint whined.

Tony grabbed the remote and flipped on one of the local channels, which was airing one of the many talkshows filmed in New York.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Legolas." Tony rose, walking over to the kitchenette. "Hey JARVIS-"

"Yes, sir?" JARVIS' voice echoed throughout the room as Natasha took Tony's place on the couch.

"Can you get eyes for me on Hill and Fury?"

"Of course, sir."

Tony leaned against the kitchen island and looked at the TV screen against the wall. Natasha and Clint listened in on the conversation as well.

"What are you doing, Tony?" Natasha asked in a warning tone.

"It's my house."

"You know Fury doesn't like us eavesdropping."

"We don't like secrets, but he still keeps them." Tony shrugged.

Fury and Maria were talking in Fury's office. All seemed casual, until Maria mentioned Alex.

"Sir, I think we need to share everything with her."

"It's too late. She's figuring it all out on her own. I knew she would."

"What do you mean?"

"I was notified that someone entered the file room the other day, and now Lucy and Alex's files are nowhere to be found."

"How do you know that it was her, though?"

"I don't. But one can assume."

"Assumptions have no evidence." Maria fired back. "She has a right to know what we know."

"Like I said before, she'll know more than we know soon enough." Fury retorted, ending their conversation.

"Interesting." Natasha commented. "I knew there was more to that girl than just her powers."

"I'm getting a little tired of this whole using my house a base thing." Tony sighed. "I've got big plans for this place, and I can't work with an infestation of SHIELD agents crawling around everywhere."

"Kick 'em out, then." Clint added.

"I'm working on it."

* * *

Steve and Alex found themselves lost inside the old SHIELD base. It was so large, they were having trouble covering enough ground to consider if what they were looking for was actually there or not.

"Daylight above the way...daylight above the way..." Alex kept repeating the phrase to herself. "It has to be here. I can feel it."

Steve had wandered off when they split up, taking the east side of the building. Alex took the west. Her eyes were beginning to ache from searching for so long down the dimly lit halls, but she was also starting to lose hope. The sun was already setting, and they had to be getting back soon. Just then, she looked up to see a single ray of sunlight streaming in from outside. There was a small glass window at the top of the wall, and the light was being projected onto the top of a door frame. There was the shadow of the SHIELD eagle coming from a design in the window, placing it just above the outline of what appeared to be an old doorframe covered up by new walls. Piper's words echoed in Alex's head, " _Above makes me think of above a walkway_..."

"Piper you're a genius." Alex breathed, walking up to the wall and pressing on it. Now she just had to find the lock. She ran her hands across the dusty wall, feeling for any sort of raise or fall that would lead her to the lock. She found nothing. Alex decided to knock on the wall to see if it was hollow, and sure enough, she could hear the echo coming from behind the door frame. She then thought back to what she did at the gravestone and began to wonder if her powers would get her any further.

Alex took a step back, creating a field with her hands and firing it at the wall. When the dust cleared, there was a small crack forming in the middle of the wall. She began to dig at it, eventually pulling enough of the wall away to reveal the hidden door. The combination lock rested where the doorknob normally would've been. Alex smiled, getting down on her knees and rolling the old metal dials with her fingers until the numbers lined up as they read on the ring.

The door slid open. Light poured its way into the room for the first time in years.


	6. Hello Again

Alex's eyes wandered across the old study, taking in all of the details in the old books and papers. It was clear that it had been deserted since her mother used it last, and that was years ago by now.

"Hey," Alex heard Steve's voice. He walked up next to her. "Did you find anything?"

Alex laughed. "Nothing, nothing at all."

Steve took in the study as well. "Wow. I guess there really is something going on here."

The two began looking around, both afraid to really touch anything and move it from it's current resting place. Alex was the first to touch some of the old newspapers that had been laid out across the little wooden desk.

The headline of the first paper is what caught her attention.

_TWO OF THE WORLDS GREATEST SCIENTISTS PART WAYS: POTENTIAL THREAT?_

_On Saturday, scientist Lucy Cooper and Dexter Lewis split their ways as not only friends but two of the greatest 'lab partners' of the century. The duo discovered more about genetics and human structure in a matter of years than anyone has ever discovered in decades. But citizens fear the sudden split, with their potential knowledge arguing could turn into a global death match right before the our eyes._

"Dexter Lewis." Alex muttered.

"Who?"

"He helped her...she didn't do it by herself?"

"Is that the guy-"

"From the journal? Yes but she never said he helped her, she just mentioned him a few times."

Steve picked up the next paper.

_A NEW LEVEL IN SCIENCE: DNA REPLICATION SUCESS_

_Famous scientists Lucy Cooper and Dexter Lewis have amazed the public yet again with their latest discovery; the ability to replicate an organisms DNA into a robot body, giving said robot life-like features just as real human._

_The scientists did not allow any in-depth details on what they plan to use the invention for, causing a major-league uproar growing to global sizes._

"And apparently your mother helped him too." Steve commented.

Alex read the headlines quickly, fear blooming in the back of her head. "So he's the one making those things...but is he still alive?"

"No idea." Steve started shuffling through some more papers. "Look at this one."

_A GLIMPSE AT ETERNAL LIFE: DEXTER LEWIS RISES AGAIN_

_Just yesterday it was announced that scientist Dexter Lewis replicated all of his DNA and knowledge into one of the robots that he and scientist Lucy Cooper made years ago. The robot resembles Lewis in his current form, but the robot will not age with the real scientist._

"So, he basically put himself on the copier." Steve spoke up.

"So even if he died physically, he wouldn't actually be dead because this thing would just take his place." Alex huffed. "Wonderful."

"Well, if Dexter's still out there then he's probably the one making these things now."

"Probably. Or his robot's doing it for him." Alex added. "But if he worked with my mother, why did they part ways?"

"I guess that's what we have to find out next."

* * *

The next day, Fury send out a mass message explaining to the team that SHIELD had found where the genetically enhanced people were coming from, and that they were going to be infiltrating the factory later that day.

Clint was more than pleased at the very first group chat between all of the Avengers.

Later, on the quinjet, Alex sat in silence as she thought about all of the newspaper clippings. She was dying to know what really happened, and she was trying to mentally prepare herself to fight Dexter, assuming that he was behind all of this and that SHIELD used reliable sources to make their guesses. But there was that small voice inside her head that was telling her something was wrong. This wasn't right. Whether that was the fact that she'd joined the Avengers, or where she was headed on the plane.

Something wasn't right.

"Hey," Natasha said, plopping down next to Alex.

"Hi." Alex was surprised at the communication.

"I just wanted to say that we're glad to have you here. And, you're doing good. You saved lots of people already and this one will just be another hatchet to bury."

"Thanks, that means a lot actually."

"Especially coming from me?"

Alex chuckled. "Yeah."

"I didn't mean to set us off on the wrong foot. I just have trouble trusting people."

"I heard, but I also understand. I wouldn't trust some new chick walking on my turf either."

Natasha smiled before rising and walking off somewhere else, and Alex let out a deep sigh. That feeling was still there, and she had high suspicions that it had something to do with Dexter.

* * *

Once they arrived at the old factory, the quinjet was parked in secrecy while everyone grabbed their weapons.

"Time to shine, kiddo." Tony sighed.

Alex simply flashed him a weak smile. "Yep."

"You okay?" Clint leaned over.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

Tony and Clint exchanged a look over her shoulders.

"Hey-" Steve was next to approach her. "Did you grab that gun they set out for you?"

"No?"

"Here," Steve slid past Alex, quickly loading the handgun with ammo and handing it back to Alex. "Just in case."

"I don't think I'll need a gun, Steve-"

"You never know." He cut her off. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

"Okay, mom." Alex tucked the gun into her belt. She's never really fired a gun before, not a pistol. She had no intentions of actually using the thing, but if it made Steve feel better then she didn't mind carrying one.

"Lady Alex," Thor got her attention then.

"Yeah?"

"Your energy is very unique, and you use it wisely. I wish you the best of luck on the inside."

"Thanks, Thor."

"Okay, let's roll." Tony called out.

* * *

They sent Alex in unseen with Natasha and Steve, who were going to scope the place out while Alex waited to strike. Tony and Clint went in from the top, working their way down through the air ducts. Bruce waited in the jet, and was ready to break out the other guy only if he had to. Thor waited with him as backup.

Alex began snooping around on her own account after a while. She wanted to know more about this Dexter guy. Was he still alive? Why did her mother leave him, and how did he help her out so much while they were lab partners? If Dexter and Lucy created all of this, then surely Dexter had to be behind it...right?

"Alex," Steve's voice broke up her thoughts. She put her finger against her earpiece and listened. "We see some in one of the labs. Have you found anything?"

"No." Alex responded softly. "But that doesn't mean I won't."

"Keep looking. We won't start fighting until we have to."

Alex continued her way down one of the many long halls of the facility, keeping her eyes and ears wide open. The silence ate away at her ears, making them ring. It was too quiet.

"Alex-" A voice called. It wasn't Steve, or anyone on the intercom for that matter. "Alex-"

She turned to follow it, walking slowly down another long hall. There were more doors in this one, some glass windows that revealed more empty science labs as well.

"Alex!"

It was a woman's voice.

"Alex! Help me!"

It got louder with each step she took.

"Please! Somebody help me!"

Alex stopped at one of the old windows. She looked in to see a woman tied down to a leather chair, like an experiment waiting for it's fate. Alex looked at her face a little closer as she struggled against the confines. Why did she look so familiar?

"Alexis Dawn! I know you're out there!"

It hit Alex like a bus. She quickly opened the door to the lab and went running down the flight of metal stairs. She showed herself as she stood only feet away from the woman. "Mom?"


	7. Mommy Dearest

"Mom?" Alex breathed.

"Oh Alex," Lucy smiled. "It's so good to see you again. Please, help me out of here."

"But this doesn't make any sense." Alex was too shocked to move. Tears were brewing behind her eyes and her palms became shaky. "Y-you're dead."

"I'll tell you everything, just get me out of this-"

"No. You're not my mom."

Lucy froze, glaring at Alex. "You're smart." Lucy quickly faded away and a man appeared. "She'd be proud of you."

Alex didn't hesitate to whip the gun from her belt, holding it out towards the man. He only began to laugh when he saw her with a weapon.

"How cute. They sent you in prepared." He began to rip himself from the leather ties, cracking his knuckles and neck before advancing towards Alex. She stepped back and kept her guard up. "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe." He clapped twice. "Boys! It's time!"

Two of the enhanced seemed to come out of nowhere, walking up to stand on either side of the man.

"Please, show our guest where she'll be staying."

Alex kept the gun in one hand as she fired force fields with the other. The enhanced still approached her. She resorted to making a field around herself, but that didn't stop them. They easily crushed the field with a few punches, sending Alex to the ground. It was only seconds before the only thing she saw was black.

* * *

"Alex? Alex?" Steve called into the intercom. "Alex do you copy?"

"Oh no." Nat breathed. "Tony we can't find her."

"Split up and search every square inch of this place until you find Alex. We're unarmed without her."

"What if we get found?"

"We run."

* * *

Alex's eyes opened slowly. Unaware of her surroundings, she began to pull at her arms and legs, which were now tied down to a chair. Then she remembered what happened. "Let me out of here!" She screamed. Her voice merely echoed in the vast room, darkness surrounding her except for the beam of light shining on her from above. "I know who you are!"

Nothing.

"You can't hurt me." She muttered to herself, trying to pull at the restraints again. She lit up some fields in her hands and tried blasting them at her feet, but she couldn't get them positioned enough to be able to hit her target.

"Try as you will, but I'm afraid that you're trapped."

"Show yourself! Or are you too afraid of what I'll do to you?"

A laugh echoed in the room now, the man from earlier walking into the light off to the left side of Alex. "You're just like your mother." Alex could see his face now. It was the man from the pictures, she was almost positive it was Dexter.

"Why do you care so much about my mother?"

"You said you knew who I was. Doesn't that answer your question?"

"No, it doesn't actually."

"Don't play dumb with me."

"I'm not, Dexter." Alex snapped back. "Now do you mind telling me if you're one of them, too? Or are you still a human?"

He chuckled. "My enhanced are nothing but the best creations in the world, and I program them to do bigger and better things than your mother ever planned on doing."

"Well your enhanced aren't doing any good for the world, and we're tired of it."

"We?" He started laughing again. "You mean you and your little friends? The Avengers," He spat, disgusted. "What fools they are. SHIELD just has to have control of everything, don't they?" He walked up to Alex, grabbing her chin. "You're mine. I made you myself."

"Are you my father, then?" Alex asked, playing as a child. She loved it when these guys tried to act all dramatic but really just fed her all of the information she needed to know.

"No. But I'm your creator, and you must follow my orders."

"I don't have to do anything I don't want to, pal." Alex spit at him, saliva spotting on his shirt.

"What a foul creature you've become." He turned and walked back into the dark. "You know, you just a need a little tuning up and you'll be in shape in no time." He returned, a syringe in his hand. "You'll be my strongest soldier."

"You don't have to do this. You can do good again."

"It's too late for that."

'"It's never too late for anything." The only chance Alex had of escaping was going to be talking her way out. "I don't know what happened between you and my mother that sent everything spiraling to the seventh layer of hell," She began, "But I do know that you two were close. You created amazing things together. And I'm sure that if you thought about it, you'd do what Lucy would want."

"Don't give me that crap." His teeth were clenched. "That's exactly what she used to say to me. That was before she told me she was working with another man." Dexter paused. "Lucy only used people for her studies and then threw them away. The powers I gave her were never enough. She couldn't just settle for one big breakthrough in the spectrum. She had to keep going. And that's when I decided to-"

"You copied yourself so that not even death could stop you from studying science. You couldn't die peacefully until you knew what she was doing, could you?"

"The best scientists are overcome by their curiosity." He hummed. "But then when I found out she had a child-" He was seething now. "I knew what I had to do. I couldn't let her powers manifest any further, especially not in her offspring."

Alex's voice came out barely above a whisper. "You killed her."

"I made it look like a car accident. I was going to take you, too. But you slipped through my fingers and I lost you. So, I began working on my enhanced. I knew that someday they could take you down, even if I wasn't around to do it myself. But here I am."

"How could you kill her?" Alex's voice was low. The fire inside her was growing with every passing second as she clenched her teeth and balled up her fists.

"She broke my heart. Nothing hurts more than that." Dexter disappeared behind Alex as he started to fiddle with tools on a metal table.

"News flash, life sucks! That doesn't mean you kill someone for making a mistake!"

"She didn't make a mistake." He shot back. "She worked with him for more than just science, such a whore."

"Worked with who?" Alex yelled.

"The only mistake she ever made was you."

Alex felt something inside of her snap. She screamed as she felt a field forming from her center, growing and pulsing until it finally exploded and busted the ties around her limbs. She shot to her feet and began firing her energy towards him. His helpers from earlier came out of the darkness, and Alex took them each out in one shot.

"Try as you might." Dexter called from the darkness. "But I know you better than you know yourself."

Alex turned herself invisible and ran out of the light. She let her eyes adjust and she began her steady search for any sign of movement.

"I designed your genetic structure with my own two hands!"

Every time he spoke, Alex followed the sound of the noise.

"You belong to me!"

She was standing right in front of him.

"Don't act like you can hide from me." He took out a pair of glasses from his pocket, slipping them on. He had designed them to see any of his enhanced when they turned themselves invisible. He looked out to see nothing but the darkness of the room, and the one spot with light on the chair.

Suddenly, he felt something grab his wrist and the glasses flew off his face, shattering on the ground. "Move a single muscle and I snap your neck." Alex whispered into his ear, twisting his wrist until it snapped.

He whipped his hand away and Alex watched as it easily snapped back into place.

Alex felt the panic sink in as she heard the winding of gears underneath his skin. His eyes began glowing red and his voice came out monotone and computerized. "Threat detected. Authorizing defense mode."

"Crap." Alex breathed before turning and sprinting away. She didn't make it far before she felt a sharp pain in her side, and she tripped over her own feet. Still standing, she kept running, but she wasn't fast enough. Unable to see herself, she could feel the warmth of her blood seeping on her hand from her injury. Dexter had shot her with lasers from his glowing eyes. Alex remained invisible as Dexter grabbed her forearm and tried pulling her back towards the chair. She kicked at his feet, but it did no good. He was a robot. No matter what she did, she couldn't cause him any physical pain.

Alex showed herself, quickly twisting her arm out of his grasp and knocking him to the floor with a full round swing of her legs. While he was down, Alex grabbed his head and forced him to stay still. The gears in his neck and upper back began to smoke from the pressure, still trying to move but Alex wasn't allowing them to. Dexter got Alex back by eventually freeing one of his arms and punching her in the gut hard enough to send her a few feet backwards.

When the two got back on their feet, it became a battle of force fields and fists. Alex's hand-to-hand skills were still a little rusty, but she gave it everything she had to try and stop this thing. Her force fields did little damage to him, but some was better than none. As the two kept brawling it out, Alex set her eyes on the rafters above.

She remembered what she did with the other enhanced.

She thought of what she could do now.

These rafters were too high for her to pull the same exact move as before, but the concept was what she was going for.

Alex was able to shove Dexter far back enough to give her the open window to run towards the cinderblock wall behind them. Using her gained speed, and a force field to laugh her body off the ground, she ran straight up the wall a good five feet before kicking off, doing a backflip right over Dexter, grabbing his head in the process.

She twisted her body as they body went crashing to the ground.

Miraculously, Alex landed on two feet.

Dexter's head was in her hands.

His body motionless, sparks flying from his neck, feet away from her.

She rose, holding the head so she could look into it's eyes. The light was fading from them. "Some defense mode." Alex breathed, tossing his skull back onto the ground.

* * *

The rest of the gang found themselves a little too busy with the enhanced. They had been spotted a while back, and it was becoming too hard to hold all of them off. Also, nobody was looking for Alex.

Tony was able to inform Bruce and Thor of the situation over the intercom, and they had joined the party too.

It still wasn't enough.

"We need to find her!" Steve shouted as he punched an enhanced in the face.

"Our only option right now is Banner. And he might not even be enough." Nat called back, working on some of them herself. Natasha soon found herself cornered by the enhanced. She was beginning to have trouble fighting them off, when suddenly they started dropping like flies. After a moment, she saw the walls illuminating purple from the other side of the crowd of people. Soon, the group that was attacking her was just a pile of bodies on the floor. "Alex?"

Alex showed herself. "You're welcome."

"Alex, look out!" Steve called, Alex dodging an incoming enhanced who almost ran her in with a knife. She wiped him out seconds later.

Alex went on a killing spree shortly after that, first freeing Steve and moving on to wipe out every single enhanced that was in the building. The team even did once last full sweep to make sure they were all gone before calling it.

And just like that, it was over.

The ride home was silent. Alex couldn't stop thinking about everything that "Dexter" had said to her. She couldn't comprehend how many robots she just killed, including their leader. She killed the man who once worked with her mother, and who apparently murdered her. Alex didn't know if she could believe all of the things Dexter told her. The only thing she knew for sure now was that she had more to work with on figuring out what happened to Lucy, and the threat was gone.

* * *

_Why did Dexter murder Lucy?_

_Who did Lucy leave Dexter for-the other scientist?_

_What did mom do with the other scientist?_

_Why did she keep this all a secret?_

_Who's my real father?_

Alex scribbled the words down in her own journal as she sat on the couch again, just thinking about everything. It was around three in the morning. She couldn't sleep. The apartment building was as silent as it could be.

Alex's eyes glanced over to see her mother's journal in comparison to her own. She began flipping through the pages about Dexter again. The few times Lucy had mentioned him, there was no resentment or anger. If anything, there were good things written down about him.

None of it made any sense.

All of a sudden, Alex's phone vibrated on the coffee table. She leaned over to read the text message that had just been sent:

**(347) 014-8*****

_Hey violet, need to chat with you tomorrow. Are you stopping by?_

Alex looked at the message again, confused. Her phone buzzed again.

_It's Tony by the way_

She responded:

_Hey! Sure thing. I was planning on stopping by in the morning_

Alex watched the little bubbles as he typed, or, as JARVIS typed for him.

_Cool. See you then._

Alex relaxed back into the couch and whispered the words to herself. "What does Tony Stark want to talk with me about?"


	8. Move-In Day

Alex never went to sleep that night. She stayed up until dawn, standing at the window to watch the sun emerge from behind the city skyline. It was always a beautiful sight, to see the shadows sink into the concrete ground and skyscraper windows glisten with the light of day.

She waited for Piper to get up before she took her shower, not wanting to wake her from her slumber.

"Als, you looks exhausted did you sleep at all?"

"Not a wink."

"That's not healthy, you should just stay home today."

"I need to talk to Tony today." Alex said drearily.

"About what?"

"I don't know, he texted me last night. He just said he wanted to see me."

"You don't think it's about the mission the other day do you?"

"No, if it was about the mission it'd be Fury who'd be wanting to talk. I'm sure he'll be calling me in the next day or two."

"Alex, you did the right thing. You know that, don't you?"

"He killed my mom, Piper. I know I did the right thing. It's all of these details not connecting that's keeping me up at night."

"He could've been making that stuff up to get you fired up. We don't know how much he said is actually true, if any of it is at all."

"I know, Pipes. I'm just gonna take a shower and go see Tony. I'll come back home after, I promise. Are you working today?"

"Yeah, full shift. Pray for me."

Alex arrived at the tower around ten in the morning. The lobby seemed rather empty, and she was shocked to hardly see any SHIELD agents running around. Minding her own business, she just took the usual route upstairs and Tony was waiting for her in the den.

"Hey Violet, did you sleep well?"

"Not really. Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?"

"I was just testing you." He replied. "C'mere. I don't bite." He patted the couch coushin next to the one he was sitting on.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Alex sighed as she let your body relax into the seat.

"Just a little something I'm doing for the rest of the team, and you, of course. I can't not include you." He paused, and she waited for him to continue. He took a breath before speaking. "You know, this is a little harder to explain with words...I think I'll just have to show you." Tony stood, ushering her to follow him.

As Tony lead Alex down the long halls of the tower, she couldn't help but continue to question why it was so quiet all of a sudden. "Tony, what happened to all of the SHIELD agents?"

"I kicked them out. I wanted my house back." He replied.

"So this is officially Stark Tower again? Not SHIELD HQ?"

"Yes and no." He stopped her outside of a door. "Welcome to the east side of Avengers Tower, where you'll be staying from now on." With that, the door slid open to reveal a brand new apartment, complete with everything Alex could've ever dreamed of.

"Tony, you can't be serious-" Alex whispered, taking a few steps inside to let it all sink in.

"Two bedroom, two bathroom, one large kitchenette, a den, all voice and touch technology, and a partridge in a pear tree." Tony smiled softly. "This one's for you and Piper. Steve's next door, and so on and so forth. I figured it was time to get you guys moved out of that ratty old place down the street. I've only heard horror stories about that building."

Without words, Alex simply wrapped her arms around Tony. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." He replied. "Now, why don't you give that friend of yours a call and start packing up your stuff."

Alex was darting between each room in the apartment, boxes thrown everywhere, as she hastily packed up the small amount of possessions she and Piper had. Piper would be getting home soon, and Alex wanted to surprise her with the big news.

She hummed along to the radio as she folded clothes and tucked away items into the boxes. This was so excited, a new place. Although, this apartment held many great memories for both Alex and Piper. It was going to be hard to say goodbye, especially so soon. The duo had always talked about moving out, but the conversation would immediately get shut down when the remembered how short they were on funds.

Suddenly, Alex's phone began to ring. The screen showed an unknown number. She hesitated before finally answering. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Cooper, it's Director Fury. I planned to speak with you today but apparently Mr. Stark had other plans."

"Yes sir, I'm afraid he did."

"I feel like this is a conversation that should be held in person, but I suppose over the phone will do. Unless you want to wait."

"We're both here, now, so, let's get on with it." Alex always used her wit when it came to having a conversation with Fury. Nothing on the disrespectful level, but enough that showed she had power among his presence.

"I'll begin by congratulating you on your last mission. From what I heard you did some very good work." He paused. "If Dexter Lewis was the source of our threat, I think it's safe to assume most of the attacks are over. Any of these remaining enhanced individuals can be put to rest easily, if there are any left, that is."

"Sir, that wasn't Dexter Lewis, that was his robot."

"Excuse me?"

"I find it hard to believe that you don't know about that, the headlines? Dexter made a robot copy of himself so that he could live forever. That was a pretty big deal, wasn't it?"

"Don't let your mind wander so far as to believe everything you read, Cooper."

"But, sir, I-"

"I'll be sending a few things your way. I'm they'll be the last few pieces to this puzzle you're trying to solve, and soon you'll see there is no big mystery to be uncovered." Before Alex could interject, he finished their conversation. "Thank you for your hard work, but don't worry about working overtime when you don't need to."

When the line went dead, Alex slowly hung up the phone and sat it back on the counter. She thought for a few minutes before grabbing her phone again and texting Steve.

"Need to talk. Are you free?"

She leaned against the kitchen counter as she awaited a response.

"I'll be over in 10"

Alex smiled. She meant just a phone call or a text, but Steve wasn't big into any of that. He was a one on one kind of guy, and Alex knew only his age was to blame for that.

Just then, Piper burst in the door, her hair frazzled as she threw her bag down and began ranting about her day. "I swear I'm gonna quit! I know I say it every night, but I think I'm actually gonna do it this time!" She barked, making her way over to the fridge and shoving her head inside. "We don't have any water bottles? Are you serious?" She slammed the fridge door shut. "We live like animals, Alex. We've gotta-" Piper stopped when she saw the boxes everywhere, "-move."

Alex's smile grew. "Surprise!"

"How are we...where are we-" Piper was speechless.

"Avengers Tower. That's what Tony had to talk to me today about."

It was only a matter of seconds before Piper burst into excitement, jumping up and down and grabbing Alex's shoulders to urge her to join in the celebration. "We finally get to move out of this stink hole! Als, this is incredible!"

"Wait until you see the new apartment, it's amazing!" Alex laughed.

"See, there's some good coming out of all this after all. I always told you should join the Avengers."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Yes, you told me so. Now, can you help finish up so we can get out of here first thing in the morning?"

"I don't think I've ever been so excited to throw all of my crap into boxes." Piper commented as she began to look around. "Do you have any kind of system, or?"

"I have your clothes in those boxes, mine in these, kitchen stuff is going in there, and the other boxes are all just kind of whatever fits into them."

"Sounds good to me."

Not long after Alex and Piper had worked on their packing, there was a knock on the door.

"It's probably Steve-" Alex said as she walked to answer it.

"I didn't know he was coming over so late."

Alex opened the door to reveal Steve standing with a pizza box in his hands.

Piper noticed immediately. "And he brought food?! God bless Steven Rogers."

"Sorry, I'd already ordered it when you texted. I figured you wouldn't mind."

"Us, mind food? You're too good for the sake of good, Steve." Alex smiled, ushering him inside. "Thanks for sharing, and for coming over so late. When I asked to talk I didn't mean you had to come over I just-"

"I wanted to, though, if that's okay."

"You know the door's always open." Alex smiled.

"Piper I think there's still some plates in the cabinet I haven't gotten to yet, we'll just use those."

"Yes ma'am." Piper called, maneuvering through the sea of cardboard to the kitchenette.

"So, I see Tony told you about moving in, huh?" Steve remarked.

"Just this morning actually. We're not excited or anything like that."

Steve laughed. "No, never."

Piper threw some plates down on the counter and opened the pizza box. "Steve, you're a savior. I'm starving." Piper sighed, basking in the beautiful sight before her.

"Don't make yourself even hungrier. Go on, ladies first."

After a few hours of sitting in the den eating pizza and talking, not to mention laughing and shouting, the three were rather content with how the night had gone. Alex was able to get a mental break from all of the craziness going on, and she was fine with waiting to tell Steve about what Fury had said. It was good to finally have a conversation with him that wasn't about SHIELD or her mom or Dexter, etc.

"Stevie, tell us some more stories about life was like way back when. If you don't mind." Alex sighed, leaning into Steve's side as his arm was draped around the backside of the couch over Alex's shoulders.

Steve smiled softly. "There's not too much to tell."

"Sure there is," Piper began. "Things were so different. There has to be some good stories you can tell us. Not to pry or anything."

"Anything good that happened to me back then was because of my best friend, and I had to let him go, too."

"Oh no, I'm so sorry." Alex mumbled, the tension in the room growing tight. "Did he pass because of the war?"

"Sort of." Steve began. "It's a long story."

"We've got time." Alex replied. Piper smirked happily to herself.

With that, Steve began telling the tale of himself and Bucky Barnes, while they all ate pizza and laughed the night away. Steve began with the good things, like how Steve and Bucky met as children, and how their friendship grew. It reminded Alex of her and Piper, the closeness of it all. When Steve finally got around to explaining Bucky's death, there were tears in Piper's eyes.

"It wasn't your fault." Alex blurted out.

"Alex, don't worry about-"

"No, don't change the subject, Steve. Deep down, you know there's nothing you could've done. I can see the guilt in your eyes and I can't bear for you to live with that weight on your shoulders." She paused. "I never knew Bucky, but, from what you just told me, it sounds like he wouldn't want you to blame yourself for his death either."

"Maybe."

The strong tension returned. Piper saw the time and felt the need to leave, give Alex and Steve some space. "Well, um, I've gotta go catch a shower. I have to work early tomorrow morning. I'll see you soon, Steve? You'll probably be gone by the time I finish cleaning up."

Piper and Steve shared a quick hug. "Yeah, real soon. You'll be moving in and soon we'll be seeing each other every day."

After Piper had dismissed herself, Steve sank back down on the couch next to Alex.

"So, did I mention that Fury is sending me proof that everything is fake?"

"No, what do you mean?"

"He called me earlier. Basically told me to lay off trying to figure things out about my mom. That none of it's true."

"He's lying. He has to be."

"I know. He probably is. I'll see what he sends me."

"You know, you've pushed Fury more than any one of us ever have."

"Really? Is that a bad thing?"

"No, I think it's a good thing. He doesn't get pushed around enough. He's always keeping secrets. I've learned one thing about SHIELD since I came back, and it's that they don't like being overpowered. Especially by people on their side."

Alex chuckled. "Well, I'm glad I could help then."

"Me too."

Alex and Steve had drifted closer to each other on the sofa. She hadn't even noticed that his arm had drifted onto her shoulders and their hips were touching. Alex couldn't help but notice how perfectly she fit against Steve's side. She smiled softly as their eyes met once again.

"Have I told you how much I like your blue eyes?"

"I think so, once or twice."

"Good. Because I'm about to tell you again, I really like your eyes."

Steve chuckled, and the smallest of blushes tinted his cheeks. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"I really like your eyes, too. You don't see violet eyes everywhere."

"Thank you. I always tried to hide them in school, people thought I was weird to have different colored eyes."

"Why would that be weird? They're beautiful. Like you."

"Are you flirting with me, Steve Rogers?"

"Depends on how you take it, Alex Cooper."

They got closer.

"I'm calling it a flirtatious device, then."

"Good."

Before Alex could say anything else, Steve's lips were against hers, and she was leaning back into the couch. Alex reciprocated his action to the best of her ability, but she was so nervous she was more worried about what she was doing than rather enjoying it."

Steve suddenly pulled away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

Speechless, Alex pulled him back into another kiss by the blonde locks on his head.

They stayed like that for a while.

Within a few days, all of the boxes had been moved over to the Tower and all that was left to do was turn in the keys.

It was somewhat hard to say goodbye to a place they had known for so long, but it was time for something new now.

"Hey Violet," Tony said as he strolled in. Alex and Piper had been unpacking boxes for a few hours, beginning to decorate their new place.

"Hey, what's up?" Alex asked, wiping the sweat from her brow and placing her hands on her hips.

"How's everything going, are you moving in okay?"

"Yeah, Piper and I just own more stuff than we thought."

"Where is Piper?"

"Kitchen."

"Ah." Tony nodded. "Why am I surprised?"

"I don't know. Where else do you think she'd be?"

"Flirting with the guys." Alex and Tony said simultaneously. They began laughing right after.

"I heard that." Piper sighed as she walked in with a plate of food. "Why would I be worried about boys when there's a kitchen the size of a small planet that I have access to?"

"I like how she thinks." Tony smiled. "Anyways," Tony reached inside his jacket and handed a large envelope to Alex, "One of the interns dropped this off for you."

"Oh, thanks."

"Any idea what it's for?"

"Fury said he needed me to sign a few things, nothing major." Alex rolled her eyes. "Thank you."

"Not a problem. Just thought I'd pop in." He turned to leave. "Call me if you need anything!"

"Will do!"

Piper was sitting at the kitchenette eating away at her snacks. "I already like it here."

"Me too, Pipes." Alex smiled. She looked down at the envelope and ran her fingers over the material. "Hey do you know where a pair of scissors would be?"

"Should be with that miscellaneous box." Piper replied, food still present in her mouth. "If not, I'm sure there's a pair around here somewhere."

Alex sighed before tearing at the envelope with her fingers and teeth until eventually a small tear formed in the plastic cover.

DNA REPLICATION A HOAX

Scientist Lucy Cooper denies Dexter Lewis' claim of the DNA Replication Project being a success. "He got over excited," said Cooper. "He didn't cover all of his bases before speaking to the public." Some think that Cooper's words may be influenced by her and Lewis' split early last month. Lewis has released no words on Cooper's claims of his false information.

"I highly doubt my mother said any of these things." Alex muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Piper half-yelled.

Alex flipped through more of the articles. "Fury gave me all of these news articles that literally contradict everything we found. He told me to lay off because I'm looking into nothing."

"With all that stuff about your mother?"

"Yeah. Smells fishy to me."

"You literally just fought that Dexter guy last week, you know none of it's a lie. The only lie is Fury telling you it's a lie."

"He's trying to cover this up. I wonder why?"

"Because you're figuring out too many of SHIELD's secrets at once. Of course he's gonna try and tell you it's all fake."

"Why would my mother's work be a secret?"

"She kept you a secret, didn't she?

"What do you mean?"

"From the sounds of it, Fury was one of the only people who knew you even existed, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"And that's only because your mom had connections with SHIELD and all that."

"Yeah..."

"I'm just saying your mom didn't want people to know about you. She probably didn't want people to know about her after she got her powers from Dexter, so that's why all of this stuff is buried with the hatchet y'know. And I think Fury doesn't want you to know because that gives you power over him, and he doesn't like it."

"Wow, Pipes, you're a genius."

"Thanks," she smiled, taking another bite. "I try my best."


	9. Alex Cooper's Day Off

"So you think Fury is just trying to tell you everything is a joke because you're gaining power over him?" Steve questioned, sitting up on Alex and Piper's brand new couch.

Rather disheveled, Alex sat up in her seat adjacent to Steve's, her eyes wide with excitement, "That's exactly what I'm saying! I fought Dexter hand to hand hardly a week ago! We have my mother's office, and everything inside it. I bet all of these news articles Fury gave me aren't even real, he just had them made to sway my thought process."

Smiling at her rant, Steve replied, "Yes, I agree with you. It wouldn't surprise me at all that Fury's lying to you, it's part of his job."

"I know, it's just irritating. She's my mother, this is my business. As of now, I have no idea who my biological father is, apparently Dexter killed my mother for working with some other guy, and we have no idea who that is or why my entire life story was kept some huge secret for-"

"Als, I think you need to take a break."

"Huh?"

"You're getting so worked up about all this, and as of right now, we don't have any leads, so there's nothing else we can do."

"But, we have to-"

"The only leads we have is that it's confirmed that Dexter killed your mother, there's some other man involved, and Dexter's dead."

"Yes so we need to start researching other scientists, we have to find out who this guy was, or is, he could still be alive, I just-"

"Alex, breathe." Steve put a hand on Alex's knee. She stopped speaking and took a deep breath. "I think, as of today, we need to lay low anyways so Fury doesn't stay suspicious. You need to finish moving in, I'm sure Piper needs a break too, and-"

"Steve, I can't-"

"Yes, you can. I'm making you. You're taking a break today, Alex."

"What about Piper shouldn't she have a say in this too?"

"She's gonna be busy all day, but she agreed with me."

"What? When did you talk to her?" Alex questioned.

"This morning, she left early to go shopping for some decorations for your new place. She said she's only picking out a few and you get to decide what she keeps."

"Piper," Alex rolled her eyes. "She couldn't have at least told me where she was going?"

"I told her to go this morning when I ran into her, let you sleep in. You needed it."

"Steve-"

"Alex, today is day of rest. Now, what do you want to do? We've got all day."

* * *

After some difficulty making a final decision, Alex wanted to take a day off by staying in with Steve. She showered only to get back into her pajamas, and they decided to have a marathon of any classic movies they could agree on. Steve brought some food, and they simply unplugged for the entirety of the afternoon.

"It catches me off guard sometimes," Steve began, "Watching these old movie and seeing my time, the technology and everything, all of the stuff right around when I went under. It makes seventy years seem like nothing."

Unsure of what to say, Alex hesitated, rubbing her hand over his to comfort him. "I can't imagine, Steve. I'm sorry."

He simply shook his head, "It's okay. Just, crosses my mind sometimes."

"I know how you feel," Alex began, she might not have been able to entirely empathize with what Steve was saying but she could at the very least try. "Sometimes I remember how I used to be, how afraid I used to be of everything. So afraid that I locked myself up and would go months without using my powers. Yes, Piper and I assimilated, but, bottling everything up only tore me apart. I was so selfish, by doing all of those things to myself I took a toll on Piper. I feel horrible about, it's all my fault."

"She understands that you didn't do it on purpose, Als, I'm sure of that."

"I don't doubt that, but, I still feel guilt. I never look at my arms anymore, because, I can't. It just reminds me of those horrible things I used to wallow in. The loss, the pain, the grief, everything. It haunts me."

"And that's okay, to have bad things. We all have them."

Alex nodded. "I'm just so happy I found you. You help me see the good in things, Steve. Even when I feel like they aren't there."

"And you help me find truth in all of the lies. Thank you."

Closer than they last registered, Alex and Steve's eyes met and Steve leaned down to kiss Alex's forehead before he could rethink his action.

* * *

Movies were soon forgotten about as the two found more entertainment in each other, in their own stories and fears. Alex told Steve about her childhood, about growing up with Piper, and Steve told Alex about his.

Whether they were tears of pain or happiness, Steve wiped each one away.

He always knew the right thing to say.

He made Alex laugh like there was no tomorrow.

He cared about her more than any other man in her entire life had.

There was just something about him that was, perfect.

"Steve," Alex abruptly blurted out.

"Hm?"

Alex was unsure if she should say it. The feeling was coursing through her veins, rushing through her mind and churning in the pits of her stomach. She had to say it. It felt too right to be a bad thing. "I love you."

Steve's concerned features melted into soft, warm ones. He brought Alex's lips up to his before whispering, "I love you too," against her lips. Before she could say anything else he kissed her again, and it felt like both of their worlds had fallen into place.

* * *

After a while, Alex and Steve both needed to stretch their legs and emerge from the apartment for a while.

Downstairs in the common room, Clint, Natasha, and Tony were all sitting around talking when Alex and Steve emerged.

"Uh oh, here they come." Tony announced.

"I don't see any hickies." Clint said, sounding disappointed.

"Neither do I. Pay up." Natasha held out her palm, and Clint dug around in his pocket before handing Natasha a couple of one dollar bills.

"Did you seriously make bets about what we were doing today?" Alex asked, sinking into the soft leather couch, Steve right next to her.

The trio fell silent.

"C'mon guys, spit it out." Steve said, draping an arm around Alex's shoulders.

"We made bets on when Steve was gonna lose his virginity, and it looks like Nat won."

"Sorry to break it to you, but we didn't do anything." Alex smirked.

"No way." Clint replied, shocked.

"Yes way, no clothes were thrown today."

"Give me the five back." Clint turned to Natasha.

Rolling her eyes, Natasha handed the money back.

Trying not to seem bothered by the topic, Steve shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I'm not even going to dare ask what bets you two placed," Alex pointed to Tony and Clint. "Let's leave it a mystery and see if either of you actually win."

"Alex," Steve nudged her.

"What? If they're gonna leave their minds in the gutter we might as well let them roll around in their dirt."

Natasha smirked a this, leaning back and crossing her legs. "Oh is this a sight I'd never thought I'd see."

Tony shrugged, "I mean, your girlfriend's not wrong, capsicle."

Clint agreed with Tony.

Just as the conversation started to change subject, the elevator opened to reveal Piper, with more bags than she could carry.

Everyone called out their greeting to her except for Steve, who stood. "Do you need some help?"

"No, I think I'll be okay, I just-"

Piper tried to move but almost dropped all of her bags, so Steve proceeded to rush over and help her.

"How was shopping?" Alex called, watching as Steve helped Piper sort out the many heavy bags onto the bar.

"Great! I got lots of stuff for the walls, some table decorations, a lamp, our place will be looking fresh in no time."

"I'm excited to see what you guys do with your space. I tried to make it comfortable." Tony spoke up.

"It's great, Tony. We can't thank you enough."

"I know, sunshine. It was my pleasure."

"Als!" Piper called, "Would you mind helping me carry some of this up to our room?"

"Yeah sure thing," Alex replied, rising from the couch.

"Dinner's at six tonight, Thelma and Louise. I'd hope you'll be joining?" Tony called after them.

"We're having a family dinner?" Piper responded excitedly.

"We'll be there." Alex huffed, Steve following close behind her with a few extra bags.

* * *

Dinner later that evening seemed more like an odd family reunion more than anything else. The tower was so big, there had already been multiple days on which Alex saw no one except for Steve and Piper. Seeing everyone lounging around in one room was a sight that was beyond rare, and caught Alex off guard as her and Piper arrived at dinner.

Steve immediately noticed when Alex entered and politely dropped his conversation with Thor to go greet her. Bruce walked over to Thor when he saw he was sitting alone at the bar.

"What's up, big guy?"

"Captain Rogers just left me for Lady Alex. I feel betrayed." Thor said, taking a gulp of his beer.

Bruce smiled, "Hey, cut him some slack. People do crazy things when they're in love." He took a seat on the stool next to Thor.

"Love? I did not realize they were a couple."

"They aren't a couple." Bruce replied looking over his shoulder to see Alex smiling brightly as Steve greeted her, a smile present on his face as well.

Thor had joined Bruce in making his observance, "They are definitely something, if I have a say in this."

"Yeah, they're something alright."

On the other side of the room, Piper went straight for the food after she said hi to Steve, but Alex and Steve were so caught up in each other they hardly noticed.

"Did you come for the food too?" Clint asked, startling Piper from her actions.

Piper hesitated before answering, "Maybe. Did you?"

Clint shrugged. "I guess so. I mean, I like talking to people and everything but it's a lot of work."

"Yeah, you got me there."

He looked up and noticed that Steve and Alex had gone to sit on the couch and didn't seem to be looking anywhere else but at each other. "Hey, don't let it get to you."

"Let what get to me?"

"Them. Being all over each other. I've been jealous before too."

"I'm not jealous," Piper rolled her eyes.

"What are you then?"

"Frustrated maybe? I don't know. I'm so happy for her but sometimes it's hard because she spends so much time with him. I just miss her."

"Did you try talking to her about it?"

"No, I didn't. Because I know she'll feel guilty, she'll act like she doesn't but she will, and then I'll feel guilty too."

Clint looked at Piper questioningly for a second, "Is that how females think? Why are you all so complicated?"

"It's not complicated, Clint. It's common sense."

"Sounds complicated to me."

"Because guys always have their heads where the sun doesn't shine and think with their downstairs brain." Piper replied, taking a bite of her food.

Clint shrugged, "You're not wrong."

"Exactly."

Meanwhile, Alex and Steve were lost in their own fishbowl as they smiled and laughed and fell even deeper in love than they already were.

"Your eyes look beautiful in this light. They look beautiful in every light, but, especially this one." Steve smiled.

Alex looked down, blushing, "Thanks, Stevie."

"I'll never get over your violet eyes."

"And I'll never get over you."

They both shared a soft laugh before Steve brushed a strand of hair out of Alex's face, "Not to ruin the moment, but, I gotta ask you something."

Alex swallowed a lump in her throat, "Go ahead."

"You seem like it, but, I need to ask, are you happy?"

"What do you mean, Steve? Of course I'm happy. I've never been happier." Alex began to panic:  _What if he was breaking up with her? What if he didn't feel the same way? He just complimented her, didn't he? But what if he didn't mean it? What if he was just being nice? What if-_

"That's good, I'm glad. I just wanted to make sure."

"Steve, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, babe, I just worry about you, that's all. I want you to be happy. And if you ever feel like you aren't, please tell me."

Alex smiled at Steve's use of a modern name for his girlfriend, "Like I said, of course I'm happy. And I promise, I'll tell you if I'm not." Steve grinned at her words. "Can I ask what started this?"

"What do you mean?"

"It was kind of abrupt don't you think? What made you start thinking that I wasn't happy?"

"I don't know, you've just had a lot on your mind lately, and I just needed to hear you say that you're okay. I know you're an expert at hiding how you really feel."

"And?"

"And?" Steve was confused.

"I know there's more, Steve. It's okay, you can tell me."

Steve shifted, slightly uncomfortable, "I just, I feel like I'm not enough for you sometimes. And, you deserve the best, Alex. I need to make sure that I'm the best for you."

"Steve, I can't imagine myself with anyone but you." Alex breathed, "Please never feel that way. You're so much for me, more than enough, more than you can ever imagine."

"Thanks, babe."

"You're welcome, babe."

Steve smiled at Alex's mockery, and she smiled back. "I guess I have to kiss you now, I can't help myself."

"Oh no, what a shame." Alex teased, her lips meeting with Steve's as they shared a passionate kiss.

* * *

After everything wound down from dinner, Piper still had enough energy left to start unpacking some of the new things she bought and scattering them around the apartment.

"Piper, are you sure you want to get into all this tonight?" Alex asked, maneuvering her way around the boxes to get a drink from the kitchenette.

"I'm already pretty knee deep in it aren't I?"

"I guess, I was just wondering," Alex trailed off. She fiddled with her glass, looking down at the contents of it before speaking again, "Is everything okay? You just seem upset."

Piper sighed, keeping her eyes on the lamp she was assembling, "Als, I'm fine, I promise."

"You don't sound fine, though. I just wanted to see what was going on with you."

"What do you mean?"

"You just seemed funny at dinner, and, quiet, and, I don't know, lately you've just seemed like something's bothering you but I can't make out what it is."

"I'm sorry I've been a little irritated," Piper was sincere, "But I promise it's just me, I've just been tired lately and us moving here? I love it, it's just a lot, y'know."

"Yeah, of course. Me too." Alex looked down again, pausing. "Do you need some help?"

Piper smiled, "When can I not use your help?"

Alex began to help Piper unbox more decorations, assemble them, and place them around the apartment on the walls and tables. They played their music as loudly as they wanted, because they didn't have to worry about noise complaints anymore.

* * *

Later that night, both tucked away in their own beds, Piper slept soundly in her room while Alex tossed and turned in her sleep.

Alex's skin was on fire, but the room was filled with the weight of cold air.

_Alexis._

Her hands clutched the sheets.

_Alexis, listen to me._

Her eyes stayed tightly shut.

_It's okay to let go._

Her jaw clenched.

_You've done your job._

_You know what power you hold._

_You are strong._

_You're happy._

_Let go, and you will be at peace._

Her eyes opened.

And the weight on her shoulders seemed to disappear.

_I love you._


	10. Dear Diary

Alex's eyes shot open, her lips falling apart to inhale a breath that could her lungs could not seem to inhale.

_I love you._

The voice still echoed in her head.

Although gasping, she could barely retain enough air to form a single breath.

Her lips were dry, her skin hot, the air cold.

 _It was just a dream_  she tried telling herself.

But it was all too real.

Alex swung her legs over the bed and attempted to stand. After a small stumble, she was finally able to pick herself up and make her way to her private bathroom that conjoined to her bedroom.

The cold water tamed her burning cheeks, but it did nothing to soothe the racing of her mind.

_It's okay to let go._

_You're happy._

_You've done your job._

The words continued their echo in the back of Alex's mind. On edge, she darted back into her bedroom and took out her rarely touched journal, scribbling down the words that her mother had told her.

_"It felt like she was right there next to me, as if we were just having a conversation. I couldn't see her, I couldn't see anything. But I could feel her. I wasn't awake, but I wasn't asleep. As soon as I awoke, I felt comfort. She told me to let go, that I'd done my job. I'm not entirely clear as to what she meant, but I have a strong feeling about what she was implying._

_I've been driving myself mad trying to piece together her past. She left me many hints, and I've pieced many things together already, as I've previously logged. But there's still so much to uncover, and now she's telling me to stop._

_I suppose I'll follow her wishes, as they are the only lead I have to follow anymore."_

* * *

The next morning, Piper was surprised to find Alex still asleep as the time approached closer to noon with every passing minute. She knew Steve would be dropping by eventually, he visited Alex at least once a day, or met up with her somehow. Especially now that everyone lived in the same building.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Speak of the devil.

"Good morning," Piper said as she opened the door.

"Morning. Where's-"

"Asleep." Piper cut him off. Steve was surprised by her unusually short nature. "Sorry, rough night. I think Alex had one too, I heard her up early this morning and I didn't want to wake her up if she didn't get any sleep."

Steve nodded.

"Do you want to come in?"

"Sure, thanks."

"Is everything okay?" Piper asked as Steve brushed past her.

"It's not like her to sleep like this. Are you sure she's okay?"

"I just checked on her a few minutes ago. She's just sleeping."

He nodded again.

"She used to do this all the time." Piper began, sitting down at the kitchenette, "Be awake all night and sleep all day. I felt like her mother sometimes, telling her to stop and go to sleep, take care of herself, to not be so hard on herself. No matter what I said, it just never seemed to click. And then we grew up, and everything changed."

"Lucy made the right choice," Steve began, "leaving Alex to you and your family. She knew that you would be the best thing for her, and she was right."

"Thanks, Steve. Sometimes I feel like I'm not."

"You are, Piper. Trust me. "

Just then Alex's bedroom door opened slowly. Both of them turned to face Alex as she stood in the doorway with bedhead and her messy sleep clothes.

"What'd I miss?" Alex grumbled.

* * *

Over breakfast, at noon, Alex explained her vision from the night before, showing Steve and Piper the notes she scribbled down after she woke up.

"I don't know if it was a dream or what have you, but, it felt pretty real to me."

"Do you think somebody's messing with you?" Piper offered.

"Who? And how could they have gotten all of those things so accurate?" Alex retorted.

"I don't know, but we can't jump to the conclusion that is was Lucy and fall for someone's trap." Steve added, "Piper's right."

"I know, I know."

"Do you remember anything else? Anything at all?" Piper asked.

"I remember not necessarily seeing her, but I could tell she was there. And everything I was seeing, it was everything we've found. The ring, her headstone, the office, everything she left behind." Alex trailed off.

" _You've done your job_." Steve read Alex's notes out loud. Piper and Alex looked at him. "Did she say this to you?"

"Yeah, she did."

Steve continued to look over the words you'd scribbled down, "I think she means to stop searching."

"What do you mean  _stop searching_? There's still so many questions and-"

"Maybe those things are meant to be left undiscovered, though." Piper finished.

"Are you both serious? You think my mother's ghost visited me only to tell me to just drop this whole thing? Even after how far we've come?"

"That's just it, Alex, you've gotten so far. You figured out what really happened about Dexter, you ended his reign, and maybe that was all she needed you to do for her."

"But what about the other man? If I've gotten this far don't I at least deserve to know who he was?"

"We don't even know if the other man was significant, Als." Piper began, "The only record we have of him is just from Dexter, who seemed jealous of this man, but he was also a psychopath."

"He killed my mother because of this other man, because he was so mad that my mother left him for someone else to work on her abilities. This man has to be significant and I can't just drop everything because a ghost told me so." Alex huffed.

"He killed your mother because she left, Als." Steve added. "That's the only thing we know for sure."

Alex sighed. "I know you're right, Steve, I just, I feel wrong just quitting. Giving up because we couldn't find anything else."

"We aren't quitting," Piper spoke up, "We finished what she asked us to do. And now it's time to get on with our lives."

* * *

With time, Alex began going on more missions with the team. Whenever she wasn't spending time with Steve she was training with Natasha, and Steve, who were the head coaches in the training room.

_"Alright, Alex. Lets get to work." Natasha hummed on one of the first days of training. "What do you know about fighting?"_

_"Nothing technical. I just wave my hands and get lucky."_

_"I've seen you do more than that."_

_"And I'm being honest with you, I don't know what I'm doing. I just copy what I've seen in movies and stuff."_

_"Movies?" Natasha hung her head. "We've got some work to do."_

_"Well, that's why I'm here."_

_"Let's start with basic hand-to-hand, get you quick on your feet, and I'll show you some of my own personal tricks that always get me out of any situation."_

Each passing day of training with exclusively Natasha always got more and more interesting. Alex always seemed to pull a move or two out of her pocket that she didn't know she had, which surprised Natasha and herself, and Natasha was always shocked at how quick of a learner Alex was.

_"We're going to try things a little differently today." Natasha began. "I've got a new sparring partner for you, just for today."_

_Alex's eyebrows furrowed, only until the training room door opened to reveal Steve as her partner for the day. Usually he was busy training the others, but Alex knew exactly what Natasha was up to._

_It would be much harder to have to take down Steve for two reasons: 1) He was much larger than Natasha and much stronger and 2) She loved him._

_"I hope this is okay, Alex?" Natasha asked._

_Steve could see the concern in her eyes, "It's okay, you won't hurt me."_

_"But what if I do?"_

_"It's not like we're far from medical attention. And you haven't hurt Natasha."_

_"Yet." Alex finished for him._

_"You have to be prepared to take down any challenge you might face, Alex." Natasha added. "It's necessary."_

_"For what? I highly doubt I'm ever gonna have to fight Steve in my life, not like this."_

_"You never know, Als" Steve continued, "And it's not just me that this is about. The challenge is fighting someone you have an emotional connection with, and it's only practice. Okay?"_

_"Okay." Alex nodded._

_As the session began, everything went fine. It was nice to spar with someone different than Natasha, and once Alex's nerves subsided it wasn't challenging at all._

_The only thing that haunted her was that in the back of her head she had a feeling, a daunting feeling, that someday, she would have to fight someone she loved dearly. And it wouldn't be just sparring, it would be a brutal life or death fight that meant only one of them could walk out alive._

_Alex feared who that would be, and when it would happen._

* * *

After months of training, Alex was finally going on missions regularly. The team had attempted to train Piper, but even she herself agreed, she wasn't cut out for avenging.

_"I wasn't brainwashed from age seven to be an assassin and I don't have anything special in my bloodstream, so, I think it would be best for all of us that I just stay behind. I can't kill a spider let alone a person."_

Missions were always a challenge, but Alex always felt good knowing she was doing the right thing with her powers.

_"Alex! Six o' clock!" Clint called from behind, and immediately Alex spun around and hit an oncoming enemy directly with a field._

_Before Clint could announce the other attackers, Alex was able to knock out four more men before he even had a chance to open his mouth. "You got 'em, I'll just, stay over here, I guess."_

Each battle the Avengers took in part in was no longer complete without the illuminating violet of Alex's fields.

_"Alex! Give me your hands!" Steve called._

_Alex obliged, grasping both of Steve hands and he quickly flipped her over his head so that their backs were facing and their arms were linked at the elbow._

_Enemies were approaching them from every side._

_"Are you ready?" Steve panted._

_"As ready as I'll ever be!"_

_With that, Steve began spinning in a circle, Alex lifted her legs so that their speed would increase. As soon as the enemies were close enough, Alex released a long field that wiped out the main front line of the wave of men._

_"Steve, toss me up!"_

_"What?"_

_"You heard me!"_

_Steve gained a little more speed before he hoisted Alex up into the air. She went flying directly above him, did a backflip, and then landed back down on the ground with a large pound that sent a large field out circling Alex and Steve. After the last of the men had fallen, Alex looked up to see Steve hiding behind his shield on the ground._

_In the silence, he slowly poked his eyes up over his shield. "Nice job."_

_Alex panted a few times, "Thanks."_

News reporters spoke of Alex for weeks at a time on the local channels.

_"The newest member of the Avengers is young citizen Alex Cooper, daughter of Lucy Cooper, one of the greatest female scientists of her time. Cooper has not done anything to mask her identity as an Avenger, and claims that, 'I'm not hiding my identity because there's nothing to hide, I'm just like everybody else.'"_

_"Many scientists have tried to recreate Cooper's work and all have failed."_

_"Captain America and Alex Cooper are everyone's new favorite superhero power couple."_

_"The Avengers are stronger then ever with their newest addition to the team."_

For a while, everything seemed perfect.

Alex had never been happier with Steve, with Piper, with the team. And the Tower was a bonus.

* * *

Steve and Alex went on a number of dates whenever they both had free time. Their relationship was so carefree that they both almost forgot what life was like without each other.

_"I love you, so much. I don't know how I lived without you before." Alex whispered against Steve's lips._

_"I love you too, and I don't know how I did either." Steve replied before tilting his head so that their lips met yet again._

Piper found happiness in their happiness, and Alex's almost constant joy seemed to be contagious.

Whenever Alex and Piper spent time together, they did a fair share of both basking in their beautiful new life together and reminiscing on where they came from.

_"Do you remember that time," Piper began, when we were twelve and we wanted to go to that stupid party Stacy from pre-algebra was throwing, so we tried climbing out of the second story window to our room?"  
_

_"YES!" Alex laughed, "And then we got stuck on the roof so we tried sliding down the gutter pipe like firemen."_

_"And then we tore the whole thing off the side of the house." Piper cackled._

_Alex continued, "Your parents were furious!"_

_"We both got grounded for a week."_

_After sharing a hearty laugh, they both took a deep breath._

_"I'll never forget that." Piper finished._

* * *

As perfect as everything seemed, there were always days here and there where nothing seemed to go right.

There were always tears to be shed.

There were always wounds and fights.

There were always nightmares, and there was always pain.

But no matter how much of the bad, the good things always outweighed them.

_Standing up on the bar, Tony tapped a fork against his wine glass, "Excuse me!"_

_The crowded room of people began to fall to silence._

Tony had thrown one of his infamous large parties at the Tower, and multiple floors were packed tight with many, many people.

_"While you're all gathered here in this lovely abode of mine, I would like to make an important, exciting announcement." He paused, smirking slightly._

_"Do you know what this is about?" You whispered to Steve, who's arm was linked with yours._

_Steve shrugged, shaking his head._

_"After months of hard work in the lab, and behind the computer, fellow colleague and friend of mine, Bruce Banner and I have made blueprints for an all new AI system that will change the world. We are proud to announce a new beginning in technology that will revolutionize the way we function as a society, and as people."_

_Everyone began cheering and clapping as Tony took a quick bow jokingly and hoisted Bruce up onto the bar with him._

_"Bruce and I are proud to announce the beginning of Ultron, a new global peacekeeping initiative that will, indeed, make the world a better place."_

_More cheers erupted in the room and Tony and Bruce took a bow together._

Later that night, Steve took Alex up to the roof so they could get some fresh air and some time alone. Parties always overwhelmed him, and Alex wasn't the fondest of them either.

_"I wonder how long Tony and Bruce have been working on that thing." Alex began, looking out onto the beautiful skyline of Manhattan._

_"I don't know," Steve sounded unsure. "Him and Bruce have been disappearing to the lab a lot lately. I have a bad feeling about it."_

_"What, about Ultron?"_

_Steve nodded. "Maybe it's just me, because I'm not up to date on technology," Alex smirked at his comment. "But I just have a bad feeling about it."_

_"I'm sure everything will be fine, Stevie. Don't worry about it."_

_He smirked, "I'll try my best."_

_Alex noticed that Steve seemed tense, he wasn't relaxing into her tough like usual and he kept looking down at his hands despite the beautiful view._

_"Steve," Alex began, "is everything okay?"_

_Steve seemed to tense up even more, "Yeah, everything's fine. Why?" He finally looked at her._

_"I don't know, you just seem up tight. I was wondering if anything was bothering you."_

_He swallowed._

_"Was it the party? Did something happen?"_

_"No, no, Als, it's," He sighed, "it's nothing bad."_

_"Oh, okay." Alex shut down a little, it seemed like Steve didn't want to talk._

_He took a deep breath before turning to face her fully, "Alex, I love you. I love you more than anything in the entire world. I can't imagine life without you, your laugh, your jokes, all of you. You're the most beautiful woman," He trailed off, his mind racing, Peggy crossing his thoughts. "You've made me the man I am, today. You've been there since I came out of the ice and got a second chance...all these years later." He looked down._

_Alex was intrigued with his speech. Where was he going with this? It was one thing for Steve to be dramatic, but Alex couldn't pinpoint at all what he was doing._

_"Alex, Alexis, my girl," Steve swallowed, sliding off the bench you were sitting on and getting down on one knee. "Will you do the honor of spending the rest of your life with me?"_

_Alex was in pure shock. "Yes-" She breathed out in utter disbelief, overcome by joy she never knew existed._

_"Yes?" Steve smiled._

_"Yes!" Alex repeated, quickly standing and wiping a stray tear from her cheek._

_She held out her hand and Steve slid the ring on her finger, and she studied it for a brief moment. "Steve, it's so beautiful, I love it."_

_"I'm glad, Mrs. Rogers."_

_Alex looked up at him before wrapping her arms around him and letting the tears really flow. She kept uttering "Thank you," softly into his shoulder._

_"I love you, Alex."_

_She pulled back, "God, I love you too."_

* * *

_Under the illuminating New York skyline and on top of the world, Alex and Steve shared one of their most passionate kisses yet, one of many to come._

_"And that's my story so far. It a wild ride if you really think about it._

_I not only found myself within these this family, but we all found something beautiful in one another that I can't quite explain._

_After it all, I can see a silver lining and feel greatness on the other side. But I still wonder many things, as there is so much to still uncover._

_There is still so much good, yet surely just as much bad to go along with it._

_And I couldn't imagine facing the future without anybody else by my side."_

A soft buzzing from the coffee table caused Alex to look up from her journal, her few-month-old wedding ring glistening beautifully in the light as she placed her pen inside her book and closed it. She rose from her seat and walked over to pick up her phone, holding it up her to ear to answer.

"Hey, Violet? It's T-bone. Can you come down to the lab for a sec? It's urgent."

"Be there in two shakes." Alex hung up her phone and hastily went for the door.

Down in the lab, Tony stood puzzled and seemed off-guard.

"Tony?" She spoke softly. "What's going on?"

"Ultron activated while I was out of the lab," Tony began, tapping away at the many screens that seemed to levitate around him. "And he attacked JARVIS' mainframe in the process."

"Can you fix it?"

"It's not about the fixing." He sighed. "It's about Ultron. He's gone, escaped through the internet."

Alex's jaw clenched as she realized the gravity of the situation. "Looks like we've got work to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thanks so much for reading this fic! It's the beginning of a trilogy that's taken quite some time to work on, I'm still working on the final part of that too.
> 
> The chapter after this is the introduction to this fic's sequel, Shadowed Past: Visions of Affliction, and sets up the story before the first chapter.
> 
> Again, thanks so much for following and reading and I hope you enjoyed the story!


	11. Epilogue: Sequel Teaser

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is the introduction to the sequel of "Shadowed Past" and helps set up the timeline before the first chapter of "Visions of Affliction".
> 
> The sequel is written in a combination of Alex's point of view and third person because the story surrounds more of what's going on inside Alex's mind and that was the easiest way to depict everything. 
> 
> ((It's going to take place after Age of Ultron, but it's going to be filled with flashbacks from when Alex fought the battle with the Avengers.))
> 
> Enjoy!

_Chills ran through my body as I felt the steady inhales of freezing air fill my lungs. Yet I still exhaled small puffs of steam, signaling warm air leaving my body. My skin was pale, practically as white as the snow beneath my feet, except for the redness of my cheeks and nose from exposure to the low temperatures._

_For a second, I heard nothing but silence. No bombs had been launched, there was no screaming of the wounded falling to the ground...nothing._

_My eyes scanned the snow-dusted forest. There was no movement. No sign of life._

_Until all of a sudden, the sound of a bullet leaving the barrel of its gun echoed off the trees. I looked up just in time to catch the bullet inside of a small purple sphere of force fields, only inches from my face. The bullet was aimed for the dead center of my skull between my eyes. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding before letting the bullet fall to the ground._

_And then the battle seemed to magically reappear._

_Bullets hit and tore at the bark of trees, the ground rumbled from Bruce rampaging around and bombs ripping apart the ground, and the cries of the wounded filled the air again._

_"Alex! Heads up!" Steve shouted._

_I spun around just in time to catch his shield, using it to wipe out many of the enemy's men beginning to surround me._

_Steve fought his way to my side, literally, and I handed him his shield back. "Thanks for letting my borrow it." I panted._

_We began jogging through the forest to catch up with the others as our conversation carried on._

_"No problem. You know, that suit really works for you. It looks nice." Steve said._

_"Was that a compliment, captain?" I teased._

_"That's up to you to decide, Mrs. Rogers."_

_"This is why superheroes don't date." Natasha muttered over the speaker._

_"Seriously, save it for the bed, lovebirds." Tony scoffed._

_I smiled, actually enjoying their bickering for once. My new suit did look better than the old one. The old suit: black, leather, had the tears patched with red cloth to look like scars? That's the one. I liked it, but, I felt...vulnerable with it on. The new one was still black and leather, much like Natasha's and every other SHIELD agent's ever. But, this one didn't have the rips and tears like the old one. It didn't have the scars like I used to. A new suit for a new me. It had multiple belts, and a couple of different holsters for guns. I wore my combat boots with the suit to complete it._

_My thoughts were scrambled when I saw the enemy lines rapidly approaching._

_"Go get 'em, cap!" I called as Steve ran to the right, and I ran to the left._

_I began taking out enemy soldiers with my force fields as quick as possible._

_The cold air continued to burn in my lungs with every breath, every pant._

_My mind continued to wander, and slowly my physical acts separated from my thoughts. I continued to punch, kick, throw fields, but my mind was completely somewhere else. The fight was implanted into the commander center of my brain, like how a robot's commands are programmed into it's system. I fought strong, but my mind took a break. My thoughts were filled with the memories from my life before I met Steve. The self harm, the fear, the loneliness. I felt the scars burn on my arms, forever etched into my delicate skin._

_And then, I was hit._

_A huge blow to the head, flinging my body backwards until it met harshly with the bark of a tree. One of many in the cold winters forest._

_They all surrounded me, attacking my body in every which way. Blood began to surface, and yet I was still caught in such a daze, I couldn't fight back. I was motionless in the white, and I felt the pain surging through every nerve, spiking and flailing to unspeakable levels of agony. My voice was numb; I was unable to scream for help. I felt the fear wash over the pain, only contributing to the pure panic taking over my being._

And then I woke up.


End file.
